2SLGBTQ+ Community Resources

BBBSO Prism program
Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa, now known as BBBSO provides a youth mentorship program with mentors from the 2SLGBTQ+ community to build long term mentorship relationships with youth 2SLGBTQ+ ages 6-24.

Youth Services Bureau Spectrum Program
The Youth Services Bureau Spectrum Program takes place on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. at 147 Besserer St. and is open to youth ages 12 to 25. The community group offers counselling, mentorship, peer support, snacks, showers, activities and a space for queer youth to connect.

Jeunesse Idem
Jeunesse Idem provides francophone support for 2SLGBTQ+ youth ages 6 to 35 with drop in sessions and a variety of activities.

Rainbow Ottawa Student Experience 
ROSE is dedicated to providing community and support to 2SLGBTQIA+ students and youth on unceded Algonquin Anishinabeg territory in a way consistent with anti-oppression, and the principles of accessibility, equity, and compassion.

SAEFTY Ottawa (Support and Education for Trans Youth)
SAEFTY is Ottawa’s only independent youth group run entirely by and for trans and gender diverse youth. SAEFTY provides drop-in programming and community events for trans and gender diverse children, youth, and people of all ages.

Odawa Native Friendship Centre
As part of their programming, the Odawa Native Friendship Centre provides community support for 2SLGBTQ+ youth with a safe work out space, workshops, and a physical safe environment for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

LGBT Youthline
LGBT Youthline provides counseling via text and live chat for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. The Youthline is based in Toronto, but provides online resources and peer support as well.

CHEO Gender Diversity Clinic
CHEO’s Gender Diversity clinic supports children, youth and families at all stages of their journey with gender identity.

Transcend Youth Group
A free, monthly art and discussion drop-in group with gender diverse facilitators for trans, non-binary and questioning youth ages 11-17. Meet people, have discussions, make art & have fun!

Purple Sisters Youth Advisory Council
The Purple Sisters Youth Advisory Council is an intersectional feminist group working as part of the Youth Services Bureau to bring young women’s issues to light.

Canadian Women’s Foundation Grant Programs 
The Canadian Women’s Foundation provides the following grants for women, girls, Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary peoples: Teen Healthy Relationship Grants, Rebuilding Lives Grants, Economic Development Grants, Girls’ Fund Grants, Investment Readiness Program (IRP) Grants, and the Community Needs Grants.

BIPOC Women’s Health Network 
The BIPOC Women’s Health Network provides gender affirming care and culturally sensitive 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare.

Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women
OCTEVAW provides a communal advocacy platform and a uniting voice for more than 30 local member agencies, all of which share the common goal of eliminating gender-based violence.

Ottawa Trans library
The Ottawa Trans Library is a library and community space featuring trans stories and relevant info for trans and gender diverse youth. They also host a variety of events for trans, non-binary and gender diverse folks.

Trans Health Ottawa 
Trans Health Ottawa exists to support trans and gender diverse community members navigate transition-related and general health services in the Champlain region (Ottawa and surrounding areas). This site also brings together pertinent information and resources for health and social service providers, including information on transition-related healthcare, provision of inclusive care and local educational opportunities.

Trans Outaouais
Trans Outaouais is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of harmonious relations within the LGBTQIA2S+ community and the inclusion of gender-diverse people and all other intersections.

SAEFTY Ottawa 

SAEFTY is Ottawa’s only independent youth group run entirely by and for trans and gender diverse youth. SAEFTY provides drop-in programming and community events for trans and gender diverse children, youth, and people of all ages.

Trans Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Toolkit https://www.wisdom2action.org/trans-suicide-prevention-and-mental-health-promotion-toolkit/

Changing Gender Markers https://ccgsd-ccdgs.org/gender-markers-guide/

Trans ID Clinic at Kind Space https://kindspace.ca/idclinic/
The Trans ID Clinic at Kind Space provides financial aid, legal support and help for trans folks to obtain identification.

CHEO Gender Diversity Clinic
CHEO’s Gender Diversity clinic supports children, youth and families at all stages of their journey with gender identity.

Carleton Gender and Sexuality Resource Centre
The GSRC offers services for Carleton University students on campus and online with a queer library, peer support, safer sex supplies, gender affirming resources and referrals to community resources, and a variety of workshops related to gender and sexuality.

University of Ottawa Pride Centre
The Pride Centre operates in-person and online with a gender affirming program, closet of gender affirming clothing, safer sex + sanitary supplies, queer library, a drop in centre and more for University of Ottawa students.

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board 2SLGBTQ+ Resources

Gegi
Gegi is an online resource to help students advocate for themselves and others when it comes to gender expression and gender identity.

Ottawa Wolves Rugby Club

Rideau Speedos Ottawa’s Inclusive Swim Team

Gay Ottawa Volleyball

Lesbian Outdoor Group

OQSL Ottawa’s LGBTQ+ Softball League

Frontrunners Ottawa Running and Walking Group

Ottawa Date Squares

Tone Cluster Queer Choir

Ottawa TimeOut Hiking Club

Rainbow Rockers Curling Club

Ottawa Pride Hockey

Ottawa Senior Pride Network
Volunteer-run network made up of LGBTQ older adults Committed to creating safe, LGBT-positive seniors’ services & programs, and residential environments through education, advocacy, and outreach.

Centretown Community Health Centre
The Centretown Community Health Centre provides various culturally sensitive 2SLGBTQ+ mental health, and healthy living programming.

The Good Companions
The Good Companions proudly offers a variety of programs for the LGBTQ2+ senior community, including:

• Wellbeing Check-in Program: Aiming to reduce isolation by connecting individuals with friendly voices and faces.
• Out and About Saturdays: Offering recreational, educational, and social activities for LGBTQ2+ community members.
• Rainbow Coffee Club: A social club focused on breaking isolation and fostering meaningful friendships and connections.
• LGBTQ2+ Adult Day Program: Providing a stimulating and therapeutic dementia care program for older LGBTQ2+ adults, while offering caregivers essential respite.

Rainbow Refugee
Rainbow Refugee aims to enable LGBTQI+ and HIV+ persons fearing persecution in their countries of origin to seek asylum in Canada and exercise their rights. The program supports members of the community residing in British Columbia to claim and exercise their rights through information sessions, assistance, and advocacy.

Capital Rainbow Refuge
Capital Rainbow Refuge supports and sponsors LGBTQI+ refugees. Through volunteer-led sponsor groups, advocacy, community building and outreach, they help LGBTQI+ refugees and newcomers arrive and thrive in Eastern Ontario.

Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO)
OCISO supports immigrants through the journey of making Canada their home by providing creative and responsive programs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate, by building community through mutual respect and partnerships, and by fostering healthy and inclusive spaces for open dialogue and healing.

OCASI Positive Spaces Initiative 
The OCASI Positive Spaces for LGBT Newcomers-LGBT Settlement Support Provincial; LGBTQ initiative by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).

Families in Transition Program – Ten Oaks Project
The Families in Transition Program is a 10-week group that meets once per week for 2 hours over zoom that provides parents with gender identity and trans issues, strategies for improving communication and connection with trans/gender questioning young people, and general support in parenting a trans/gender-questioning youth.

Shaping Parenthood Program – Ten Oaks Project
Shaping Parenthood will offer a space to talk, connect, share, and learn about a specific topic related to shaping 2SLGBTQ+ families. Unless otherwise specified, meetings are open to everyone and run from 7:00-9:00 PM. Locations will be posted on the Facebook event pages.

Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre
The Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre is a midwife-led, community-based healthcare facility who encourages their clients to incorporate their cultural practices into their birthing plans and welcome and support all families.

Family Services Ottawa
The Around the Rainbow program provides education, counseling and support services to 2SLGBTQI+ families and individuals. Our objective is always to improve 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion in all environments.

Ontario Caregiver Organization
The Ontario Caregiver Organization has a list of resources on mental health and a variety of types of healthcare needs.

Around the Rainbow – Parent & Caregiver Peer Support Group
Free, monthly drop-in group for parents and caregivers of transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse children, youth and young adults. 

If you need support, here is a list of services available in the region:

Indigenous Resources:

1. Hope for Wellness Hotline: Call 1-855-242-3310 or access online counselling services at hopeforwellness.ca/home.html

National Resources

1. Trans Lifeline: translifeline.org – call 877-330-6366
2. Kids Help Phone: kidshelpphone.ca / text “CONNECT” to 686868 or call 1-800-668-6868
3. LGBT Youthline: www.youthline.ca / text 647-694-4275 or call 1-800-268-9688
4. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): Call 416-525-8501 and press 2; services available from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday
5. Wellness Together Canada: wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA / text “WELLNESS” to 686868 for youth services or to 741741 for adult services, or call 1-855-242-3310

Resources in Gatineau

1. Ligne québécoise de prévention du suicide: call 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553).
2. Tel-Aide Outaouais: call 819-775-3223
3. Outaouais Crisis Intervention Services: cisss-outaouais.gouv.qc.ca/language/en/accessing-a-service/addiction-or-mental-health-problem/crisis-intervention-services

Resources in Ottawa

1. Youth Services Bureau (YSB) for caregivers and youth under 18: 613-260-2360
2. Mental Health Crisis Line for people aged 16 and older: 613-722-6914
3. Good2Talk for post-secondary students: good2talk.ca / text GOOD2TALKON to 686868 or call 1-866-925-5454. Services via Facebook Messenger are also available.
4. Ottawa Distress Centre for all ages: 613-238-3311
5. Regional Coordinated Access for Mental Health and Addictions: accessmha.ca
6. Centretown Community Health Centre: https://www.centretownchc.org
7. Further resources: suicidepreventionottawa.ca/crisis/

Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC)
The HRLSC offers legal advice pertaining to the Human Rights Code to anyone in Ontario regardless of age, income, immigration status, etc. They offer free and confidential legal advice through their phone lines to anyone who has experienced human rights violations.

Legal Aid Ontario
Legal Aid Ontario provides legal aid services for those who are financially eligible. They cover issues pertaining to criminal law, family law, mental health legal issues, and immigration and refugee law.

University of Ottawa’s Community Legal Clinic
University of Ottawa’s student-run legal clinic offers free services and case management in Ottawa. Must be financially and geographically eligible. Drop-in three times a week.

Black Femme Legal
Black Femme Legal is a Black femme led organization offering a workplace toolkit in support of Black queer and trans women, femmes, and gender non-conforming folks in Ontario. They also offer other resources, including support resources and legal resources.

Youth Services Bureau
The Youth Services Bureau offers emergency shelter, transitional and long-term housing services for youth ages 16- 20.

Operation Come Home 
Operation Come Home is an employment, education, and support centre for homeless and at-risk youth age 16 and up. Our programs focus on what works and what matters to youth, as well as encourage personal growth of everyone as an individual. Operation Come Home is based in Ottawa, Ontario.

Bruce House
Bruce House brings hope, housing and support to individuals and families impacted by HIV in Ottawa and area through a variety of outreach and support programs.

Trans Health Ottawa
Trans Health Ottawa exists to support trans and gender diverse community members so they can navigate transition-related and general health services in the Champlain region (Ottawa and surrounding areas). This site also brings together pertinent information and resources for health and social service providers, including information on transition-related healthcare, provision of inclusive care and local educational opportunities.

Goodhead
Goodhead.ca is an online mental health resource for gay, bisexual, queer and questioning and other guys into guys.

The Gay Zone 
The Gay Zone provides GBTQ2+ health and wellness support with STI testing, yoga, access to Prep and Pep, anonymous HIV testing and more to support wellness and build community.

Planned Parenthood Ottawa
Planned Parenthood is a pro-choice organization supporting informed sexual and reproductive health choice through education, counselling, information and referral services.

Ottawa Public Health Sexual Health Clinic
The Ottawa Public Health Sexual Health Clinic offers a range of services and supports including information on sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs) and contraception; free testing and treatment for STBBIs; confidential or anonymous HIV testing, emergency contraception, affordable contraception (for those that qualify); pregnancy testing and information about options; and other immunizations and vaccines.

GetAKit.ca 
GetAKit.ca is an Ottawa-based online resource which provides free HIV self-test kits that can be delivered to your home.

BIPOC Women’s Health Network
The BIPOC Women’s Health Network provides gender affirming care and culturally sensitive 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare.

Centretown Community Health Centre
The Centretown Community Health Centre provides various culturally sensitive 2SLGBTQ+ mental health, and healthy living programming.

 

IO Advisory
Dr. Helen Ofuso is the career coach at the IO Advisory. The Doctor has a background in psychology and provides career counseling, executive counseling, and HR counseling for her clients as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and anti-racism resources. The IO Advisory is also a member of the Dapper and Daring 2SLGBTQ+ Directory.

Youth Services Bureau
YSB Employment Services offers job seekers of all ages support to prepare for the job market and find employment. YSB Employment Services is part of the Employment Ontario network, delivering services in Ottawa.

Wisdom 2 Action
Wisdom 2 Action provides capacity building, mental health awareness, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and support, community engagement and more support for organizations to build safer community spaces, and increase their capacity to serve their communities.

Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity
The CCGSD offers workshops for youth, trans resources, teaching resources and more resources for youth and community organizations across Canada.

Kind Space
Kind Space offers a physical space for 2SLGBTQ+ folks to have a safe space to be and receive community support. Kind Space offers workshops and programming for youth, an online resource list, a community library and more.

MAX Ottawa
MAX Ottawa provides community support, education and health services for men who are into men. They also provide education and support for men with HIV/AIDS and provide community support to help stop the stigma.

Franco Queer
Franco Queer is an organization for 2SLGBT+ francophones in Ontario and outside of Quebec. They offer services for migrants and newcomers, social spaces, and more.

Capital Rainbow Refuge
Capital Rainbow Refuge can provide help to LGBTQI+ refugees and newcomers in Eastern Ontario who are looking to connect with community services or supports. It also provides a toolkit to support refugee claims.

AIDS Committee of Ottawa
The AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO) provides support, prevention, education and outreach services from an integrated, anti-racism, anti-oppression social justice framework that promotes the holistic well-being of those living with, affected by, impacted by and at risk of HIV/AIDS in Ottawa.

CCGSD Queer Vocabulary https://ccgsd-ccdgs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/CCGSD-Vocabulary.pdf

Dapper and Daring
Dapper and Daring is a list of 2SLGBTQ+ friendly businesses in Ottawa and the surrounding area in a variety of categories.