Response to the 2021 Ontario Budget – Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce

Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) listened with great interest as the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario Minister of Finance, announced the 2021 Ontario budget.

We welcome the Ontario Government’s approach of providing targeted support measures to directly assist communities who have been historically underrepresented and disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. By investing $117.3 million to assist women, racialized individuals, Indigenous peoples, youth and people with disabilities, this will go a long way to help correct the disadvantages faced by these communities.

We must also ensure that LGBT+ people are included in these targeted measures. All of the data tells us that LGBT+ young entrepreneurs and business owners have shared a similar experience to other underrepresented communities – they have been harder hit when compared to the general population. It is for this reason that targeted policies, such as the one announced today, will help all communities to reach their potential.

By supporting LGBT+ businesses and young entrepreneurs, we can ensure that the province of Ontario provides the necessary support required to recover as fairly, and as quickly, as possible.

CGLCC will continue supporting LGBT+ businesses, which have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with all levels of government to further grow LGBT+ entrepreneurship in Canada.