Celebrating Pride Month 2025: Honouring History, Embracing Inclusion, and Supporting Health Equity

Each June, communities across Ontario, and Canada, join together to recognize Pride Month, which is a time to celebrate 2SLGBTQI+ communities, honour their histories, and reaffirm our commitment to inclusion, equity, and public health for all.

This month also kicks off Pride Season which refers to the wide range of Pride events that take place over the summer (June to September) when 2SLGBTQI+ communities and allies come together to spotlight the resilience, celebrate the talent, and recognize the contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

A Brief History of Pride

Pride Month began with the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, which was a pivotal moment in the fight for 2SLGBTQI+ rights. In Canada, the first Pride events emerged in the 1970s, with Toronto’s inaugural Pride celebration taking place in 1981. Since then, Pride has evolved from grassroots resistance to a global movement for justice, visibility, and equity.

Advancing Inclusion in Ontario and Canada

Ontario and Canada have made significant strides in advancing rights and protections for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including:

• 1969 – Decriminalization of same-sex relationships
• 1986 – The inclusion of sexual orientation in the Ontario Human Rights Code
• 2003 – Ontario legalizes same-sex marriage in Ontario
• 2005 – Canada legalizes same-sex marriage
• 2008 – Ontario is the first province to appoint a Chief Diversity Officer to its public service
• 2012 – Ontario amends its Human Rights Code to include gender identity and gender expression as protected grounds against discrimination
• 2014 – Ontario Human Rights Commission releases a renewed policy on preventing discrimination on gender identity and gender expression
• 2016 – Ontario government policy is released on the collection, use, retention and display of gender/sex information on government forms and IDs, supporting people who identify as non-binary
• 2016 – Government of Canada has committed over $250 million to advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
• 2017 – Bill C-16: amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination is passed
• 2022 – Government of Canada releases the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan which advances the rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities in Canada.

At PHO, we continue to support health equity through research, surveillance, policy guidance and collaboration that reflect the diverse experiences of 2SLGBTQI+ Ontarians.

Pride Events Across Ontario

From parades to community forums, Pride festivals are vibrant celebrations of identity, advocacy, and visibility. In 2025, many Ontario communities are hosting local events, including:

• Toronto Pride – One of the largest Pride festivals in North America (June 28–30)
• Ottawa Capital Pride – Featuring cultural programming and a community fair (August 17–24)
• Windsor-Essex Pride Fest – Highlighting local artists and education (August 6–11)
• Sudbury Pride, Thunder Pride, Hamilton Pride, and others—each reflecting local voices and priorities

PHO’s Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

At PHO, we recognize that public health must be grounded in equity, evidence, and empathy. We are committed to addressing health disparities affecting 2SLGBTQI+ people and supporting inclusive, affirming public health systems.