Rainbow Railroad is very appreciative of the Federal Government’s investments in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada. The Budget 2026 commitment to provide $60 million over four years and $15 million ongoing to renew the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan is a welcome support for community-based projects, public awareness, research, and the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat.
The government’s commitment to continuing this work and advancing the priorities of the 2SLGBTQI+ National Action Plan is a positive outcome that flows directly from the 2SLGBTQI+ community’s sustained activism. Canada's global leadership on freedom, equality and human rights depends on a strong Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ community, secure in their rights and freedoms. Long-term sustained investment is an important first step towards advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, but it is only the first step.
Despite these important investments, more work remains to be done, given 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada are still subject to hate, both online and in person. Federal immigration legislation, through C-12, is making it harder for LGBTQI+ people who are fleeing persecution abroad to come to Canada and live their lives free from state persecution. The Government of Canada has remained silent as human rights abuses against LGBTQI+ people are committed abroad.
Rainbow Railroad remains deeply concerned that the international assistance funding that was cut in Budget 2025 was not replenished in Budget 2026. In a world where global funding for LGBTQI+ rights is in freefall and, queer communities are faced with well-funded, organized hate and pushback, Canada must do more.
Rainbow Railroad is also concerned that the Federal Government’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2027-2029 reduces annual Government-Assisted Refugee admissions by 1,500, while increasing Privately Sponsored Refugee admissions by 1,550. Private Sponsorship of Refugees is a key pillar of Canada’s response to the situation of the world’s 117.8 million people who are forcibly displaced, but this change shifts a greater share of responsibility for refugee resettlement onto private sponsors. The Government-Assisted Refugees program is a core component of Canada’s support for refugees who are most at-risk. Canada must maintain its responsibility to protect refugees who have limited access to complementary pathways.
Rainbow Railroad remains optimistic about the progress the Government of Canada is making to support 2SLGBTQI+ rights. Rainbow Railroad calls upon the federal government to:
- Ensure that LGBTQI+ people facing persecution remain a top priority by reversing cuts to refugee resettlement programs, including Government Assisted Refugees; double the Government-Assisted Refugee Partnership for LGBTQI+ people to meet the growing demand for safety; and, increase support to the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership.
- Increase the LGBTQI+ International Assistance Program to $20M per year over five years, representing just 0.3% of Canadaʼs overall aid budget, to counter the rise of anti-rights movements, strengthen democracy worldwide, and maintain Canada’s position as a global human rights leader.
- Continue to expand the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan. We appreciate the government’s commitment to continuing this work and advancing the priorities of the 2SLGBTQI+ National Action Plan. Canada's global leadership on freedom, equality and human rights depends on a strong Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ community, secure in their rights and freedoms.
Rainbow Railroad stands ready to work with the government to advance Canada’s role as a safe haven for at-risk LGBTQI+ people from around the world.