We are a community-based organization made up of dedicated, caring, committed individuals. Staff and volunteers alike provide support, education, and advocacy in a safe and confidential environment for HIV-positive individuals, their families, and their friends.

In 1987, we started the AIDS Committee of Niagara. We were an advisory committee to the Niagara Regional Public Health Service’s AIDS Program. We evolved from a committee to a not-for-profit, community-based AIDS service organization (ASO).

PSI is intended to share resources and increase organizational capacity across the sector to more effectively serve LGBTQIA+ immigrants, refugees, and newcomers. The initiative consists of several overlapping components, including a robust Advisory Committee, a diverse Champion program, a living and ever-changing in-person and online curriculum, as well as an active community-grounded approach to create sustainable structures.

The strength of Positive Spaces is in creating an environment which strives to understand the overlapping and intersecting nature of our communities.

The Positive Spaces Initiative is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The Positive Spaces Initiative (PSI) was developed by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) to share resources and increase organizational capacity across the immigrant- and refugee-serving sector to more effectively serve LGBTQIA+ immigrants, refugees, and newcomers. The initiative is grounded in the understanding that LGBTQIA+ newcomers are often a part of multiple communities, and seek welcoming service regardless of age, race, cultural community, faith or religion, disability, gender, status, etc. The strength of Positive Spaces is in creating an environment which strives to understand the overlapping and intersecting nature of our communities.

Positive Spaces are welcoming environments where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual, Genderqueer, etc. (LGBTQIA+) immigrants, refugees, and newcomers are able to access culturally inclusive services with dignity and respect, and where service providers can work free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Everyone can work to create Positive Spaces by challenging homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, heterosexism, monosexism, and cissexism.

We offer two programs under the Positive Space Umbrella. Namely, Positive Space (for youth ages 14-24; at our Youth Space) and Positive Space Jr. (for ages 7-12; at our main location, 45 Ellis Avenue). Both programs are drop-in programs for members of 2SLGBTQAI+ community and their allies. These are member-led, which means that our sessions will look different depending on the cohort. Some are more interested in arts + crafts, others are more interested in guest speakers, while others are more interested in socialization. We incorporate their ideas into program design and delivery. At it’s core, however, this is a safe space for people to find community and be themselves!

PSI has been traveling throughout the province of Ontario to deliver free workshops to staff members, from front-line workers to senior management and board members, on how to create welcoming spaces in their agencies that are inclusive and free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.The Positive Spaces Initiative (PSI) aims to support the settlement sector to more effectively serve LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual, genderqueer, etc.) newcomers. PSI encourages training, education, leadership and resource-sharing to support LGBTQ+ newcomers, staff, volunteers and community members.

THIS RESOURCE IS NOT 2SLGBTQ SPECIFIC

Positive Youth Outreach (PYO) is a peer support program for young people (ages 16-29) living with HIV. It is coordinated by poz youth, for poz youth. The program includes weekly group programming, which includes workshops, social events, and leadership opportunities, as well as 1:1 peer support around issues such as sexual health, HIV status disclosure, navigating health and social assistance systems, and more. Meals and TTC fare provided

Formerly AIDS Committee of Windsor
We are an AIDS Service Organization that services people living with, at risk of or affected by HIV/AIDS. We offer client services, harm reduction, youth programming, ACB, GBMSM, and Women centric programs.

Pride Central is a lobbying, advocacy, peer support, and referral service centre that provides a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, and queer students and community members. Open to the whole community, Pride Central acts as a resource library and education centre with a focus on ending discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The centre acts as a safe and supportive environment where you can engage with your own identity, connect with others, and flourish as an informed person passionate about social justice!

2SLGBTQ+ support resource at the University of Ottawa.

The Pride Centre is a student service that strives to promote and represent a culture of affirmation through the celebration of individual diversity and choice in all areas of life. We address various equity sectors (anti-ableism, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, etc.) with a core focus on the intersections of 2SLGBTQ+ topics at the University of Ottawa. By hosting events, programming, offering resources and advocating for students, we look to create an environment of respect and acceptance with our communities and allies.

PCC is a student-run service provided by the MSU that aims to challenge oppressive social attitudes and norms, patriarchy, homo/trans/bi/lesbophobia, and the like, at the systemic level.

PCC provides a contact point for McMaster students that may identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or any of the other diverse identities that make up our community. We offer educational programming and access to resources of interest, as well as peer support and a physical space for students to meet and socialize with each other. As advocates for gender & sexual diversity, the PCC’s mandate upholds that 2SLGBTQ+ students are entitled to a safe and supportive campus, absent of homophobia and transphobia, where the expression of one’s gender & sexual identity is welcomed and respected.

PrideWestern is a University Students’ Council service dedicated to the gender and sexually diverse community on campus at Western University.