- Recipient: Canada's 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)
- Region: Canada
- Most recent funding allocated: $487,000
"We know that [2SLGBTQI+-serving] businesses are not only good for our economy, but also serve as safe spaces for international visitors, 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians, and Torontonians to connect. I'm proud that our government is once again standing alongside organizations like Canada's 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce to help create a more inclusive Canada."
Canada is home to more than 100,000 2SLGBTQI+ owned businesses that contribute over $22 billion to our economy and employ over 435,000 Canadians. From small, independently-run businesses to large corporations and social enterprises, 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs help power the economy; but the needs of these individuals are unique as they continue to face obstacles and systemic barriers in growing their businesses.
For more than 20 years, Canada's 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) has been amplifying the voices and needs of 2SLGBTQI+ business communities. This national, membership-based not-for-profit organization advocates for more than 100,000 2SLGBTQI+ owned and operated businesses across the country and delivers streams of programming focused on supplier diversity, global expansion, youth entrepreneurship, and tourism development.
Canada has a global reputation for being one of the friendliest countries for 2SLGBTQI+ tourism, and CGLCC identified the need for a service to connect tourists with inclusive businesses. In 2022, the organization was inspired to establish the Rainbow Registered accreditation, a national directory of 2SLGBTQI+ friendly businesses that are safe spaces for everyone. Through a $487,000-investment from FedDev Ontario, the Chamber was able to launch the directory, provide inclusion workshops for the tourism industry, and deliver the Destination Audit program, which helped destinations assess their 2SLGBTQI+ travel or tourism strategies. With hundreds of businesses engaging in the project's training opportunities, local 2SLGBTQI+ residents and 2SLGBTQI+ visitors to the region will encounter more businesses that have been educated around how to be truly inclusive and provide a safe, enjoyable experience for all who visit their establishments.
"This program, in addition to a number of our development and training resources for the 2SLGBTQI+ community, are now able to be rapidly rolled out to businesses and organizations across southern Ontario - all thanks to the support of the federal government. This fantastic show of support will create a lasting legacy of inclusivity for 2SLGBTQI+ visitors, customers and employees throughout the region."
As awareness for the Rainbow Registration accreditation reaches new heights, visitors are being drawn to support local communities and strengthen economies across southern Ontario. The impact of the accreditation encouraged local tourism corporations like the Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation (SWOTC), Tourism Kingston and Visit the County to work closely alongside CGLCC to accredit their region's businesses and provide diversity and inclusion training. SWOTC invested in a series of digital marketing commercials to highlight the region's businesses that are ready to welcome 2SLGBTQI+ visitors. This included Leamington's HoriZen B&B, a turn-of-the-century Victorian Farmhouse that maintains its historically significant features alongside a host of modern luxuries. This is just one of the many businesses that has taken the time to demonstrate its commitment to providing a welcome and inclusive experience.
The eagerness for Ontario's businesses to participate in the Rainbow Registered program has resulted in southwestern Ontario having the second highest concentration of Rainbow Registered businesses in the country, with Kingston and Prince Edward County being the most accredited cities. In 2023, CGLCC chose to host its signature event outside of Toronto for the first time, selecting Kingston for the 2023 2SLGBTQI+ Business Summit and Supplier Diversity Forum at the Rainbow Registered waterfront Holiday Inn.
FedDev Ontario is proud to support CGLCC as it elevates the voices of 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs and businesses, and ensures that we continue to build a more inclusive Canada. Through programs like the Rainbow Registered accreditation, 2SLGBTQI+ travellers from around the world will continue to return to southern Ontario as a destination of choice and create a lasting impact on our region's economy.