The project 鈥淒eveloping LGBTQI+ Health Surveillance Capacity in Canada: Longitudinal Linked-Data Analyses of Primary Care, Prevention, Chronic Disease, Disability, and Unmet Need鈥� aims to generate evidence that can help reduce health inequities and improve health care services, programs and policies for sexually and gender-diverse communities. 

The study is led by Antony Chum, associate professor in 91亚色's , with co-principal applicant Yihong Bai (University of Manitoba) and co-principal knowledge user Jennifer Rayner (Alliance for Healthier Communities). The team also includes co-investigators from 91亚色 and partner institutions, including 91亚色 graduate鈥嬧�� Alex Abramovich and 91亚色 postdoctoral research fellow Peiya Cao, as well as Brittany A. Jakubiec, Caley B. Shukalek, David Brennan, Devan Nambiar and June Lam. 

Previous research on 2SLGBTQIA+ care has largely focused on mental health and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, including HIV. As a result broader health needs remain understudied. Addressing this gap is important because stigma, discrimination and barriers to inclusive care can delay screening and treatment, contributing to poorer outcomes, says Chum. 

The project aims to develop public health surveillance capacity for 2SLGBTQIA+ populations in Canada using census, survey and health administrative data, the team will track the outcomes of millions of Canadians over periods of up to 20 years. The findings will provide a comprehensive picture of their health and examining primary care access, cancer screening and incidence, vaccination, chronic disease, disability, and preventable emergency department visits and hospitalizations. 

The findings will identify when and where gaps in care emerge and who is most affected. Working with community and health system partners, the team will use this evidence to inform improvements in primary care, preventive services and chronic disease management for 2SLGBTQIA+ people across Canada. 

The funding was awarded through CIHR鈥檚 Advancing 2S/LGBTQI+ Health Through Research program. 

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The ESR is a comprehensive review of 91亚色鈥檚 policies, practices and workplace culture. It aims to examine how systems across the employee lifecycle 鈥� from recruitment and hiring to career advancement and retention 鈥� guide equity outcomes. 

鈥淭he goal is to better understand where 91亚色 does well and where there remains room for improvements in our continuous efforts to foster an inclusive working environment,鈥� says Parissa Safai, interim vice-president equity, people and culture. 鈥淚nput from 91亚色鈥檚 faculty and staff is essential to advancing equity across the University.鈥� 

The survey provides an opportunity for employees to share experiences, observations and perspectives on how systems are working in practice, and insights will be used to inform recommendations related to employment equity. 

91亚色 staff and faculty members are invited to complete this survey regardless of whether they identify as a member of an equity-deserving group.  However, those who self-identify as part of five equity-deserving groups 鈥� women, racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community 鈥� will have the opportunity to express interest in follow-up engagement opportunities, such as focus groups or one-on-one conversations.  

鈥淭he Employment Systems Review reflects 91亚色鈥檚 ongoing commitment to employment equity, human rights and continuous improvement, aligned with the University鈥檚 DEDI Strategy, the Action Plan on Black Inclusion and the Indigenous Framework,鈥� says Safai. 

The survey opens Oct. 5 and closes Nov. 5 and is available online.听

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91亚色 presents the findings from its yearly analysis in the鈥�Annual Employment Equity Statistical Report. The report covering Jan.1 to Dec. 31, 2025, is now available.

The report highlights representation at the University for four federally designated groups under the Employment Equity Act 鈥� women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons and persons with disabilities, as well as community members who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. This year鈥檚 report also highlights employment equity initiatives undertaken in 2025, such as inclusive recruitment practices, targeted outreach to equity-deserving communities and equitable hiring and adjudication training.

Over the past three years, representation for racialized persons, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQIA+ employees has increased steadily, indicating measurable, incremental progress across the institution.

While work to advance equity has shown positive momentum, the University continues to recognize and address gaps in visibility and inclusion for under-represented groups.

The findings of the 2025 report highlight the opportunity to look beyond overall representation rates and better understand how employment systems, practices and workplace conditions support access, progression and retention across the University.

"The 2025 report also considers a period of change across the post-secondary sector, including financial pressures, restructuring and workforce adjustments. At 91亚色, this is reflected in increased workforce movement over the reporting period," says Parissa Safai, interim vice-president equity, people and culture.

The Employment Equity Dashboard continues to serve as an important companion to the annual report. The dashboard, housed on 91亚色's鈥�Data Hub, provides three years of aggregated and disaggregated employment equity data. It was designed to support transparency and enable evidence-based decision-making across the University community.

Increased participation in the Employment Equity Survey 鈥� with response rates rising from 62 per cent in 2024 to 70.1 per cent in 2025 鈥� suggests growing confidence in the use of this data to support inclusive practices.

Accurate data is important to ensure the dashboard supports evidence-based decision making. Participation in the Employment Equity Survey helps to ensure the report and dashboard represent the 91亚色 community.

Those who have not yet completed the employee self-identification survey, or wish to change their responses, can access it through鈥�HR Self-Serve鈥痠n the 鈥淧ersonal Details鈥� tab.

To find out more about employment equity鈥痑t鈥�91亚色 and to view past reports, visit the鈥�Employment Equity and Diversity鈥痺别产蝉颈迟别.

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Sarah Flicker, professor and 91亚色 Research Chair in Community-Based Participatory Research in the , is the principal investigator on the project, titled "Theatre Making Impact (TMI): Scaling-Up a Youth-Led HIV Prevention Play Across Ontario." Shira Taylor, adjunct professor at 91亚色 and director of TMI, is co-applicant and the program's founder. The OHTN funding will support the next phase of the program's expansion across Ontario, extending its reach into urban centres and northern Indigenous communities where HIV rates remain disproportionately high.

TMI 鈥� formerly known as SExT, or Sex Education by Theatre 鈥� is a trauma-informed, culturally responsive not-for-profit that uses peer education and theatre, alongside music, dance, rap and poetry, to engage youth in open conversations about sexual health, HIV prevention, mental health and healthy relationships.

Taylor founded the program in 2014 in Toronto's Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park neighbourhoods as part of her doctoral thesis, and later expanded it through a postdoctoral fellowship at 91亚色 in collaboration with Flicker. To date, it has reached more than 12,000 young people across Canada, with a focus on communities most affected by HIV 鈥� including newcomer, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.

"I really wanted to build an evidence-based program that put the youth voice centre stage on these topics," says Taylor.

What sets TMI apart is how it delivers that education. Instead of pamphlets or classroom lectures, the program uses peer-led performance, humour and storytelling to model difficult conversations and build skills in a lower-stakes environment 鈥� one that engages young people both intellectually and emotionally.

鈥淟ack of awareness usually isn鈥檛 the reason people don鈥檛 use condoms," says Taylor. "There's a peer pressure element, there's an emotional element. Theatre is uniquely positioned to take into account our full humanity."

The program also benefits from an intergenerational model that, over the last decade, has deepened. Many of the original cast members who joined as high schoolers 鈥� initially, Taylor jokes, for the free pizza 鈥� have stayed on and trained as trauma-informed peer mentors. They now co-facilitate the program alongside a new generation of youth from the same community, sharing similar cultural backgrounds and immigration experiences.

The evidence from a recent Toronto District School Board (TDSB) tour, co-led by Taylor and Flicker and supported by a LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health Catalyst Grant at 91亚色, underscores the approach's impact. Across eight performances at five TDSB high schools, 61 per cent of student audience members reported improved sexual health knowledge, 49 per cent felt more confident managing their own sexual health and 46 per cent reported greater awareness of where to access HIV and STI testing.

Mental health outcomes were also significant: 49 per cent reported improved mental health knowledge, 44 per cent indicated feeling more comfortable seeking help and 41 per cent reported using new coping strategies.

While the student audience feedback provides crucial insights, the program鈥檚 impact extends beyond statistics. During a tour to an Indigenous community in Saskatchewan, a youth performer's rap about navigating her identity and her family's cultural expectations moved a young audience member to share a poem she had written but never shown anyone.

"She had it stuffed in the back of her locker," Taylor recalls. "She'd been too scared to share it publicly. And we all gathered around as this young Indigenous girl read us this poem. I still remember the words."

With OHTN support, the project will reach youth beyond Toronto by bringing performances to urban centres and northern and Indigenous communities across Ontario over the coming year.

Taylor and Flicker are thrilled that the award allows the program to continue to reach young people across the province.

"It's really validating how much impact arts-based approaches can have in this sector," says Taylor, "and how important it is to empower community-based, culturally responsive, trauma-informed programs around these topics, which has been historically lacking in sex education."

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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Building on past participation and renewed community engagement, 91亚色 invites faculty, staff, instructors, students and alumni to join a dedicated 91亚色 Pride group walking in the parade. Participation is open to those who wish to take part in a shared, visible expression of support and inclusion alongside colleagues and peers from across the University.

The 91亚色 Pride group will walk together in 91亚色-branded t-shirts and will have the opportunity to contribute to a long-running show of support for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and communities.

Space is limited to 100 participants. Register to participate through

Pride Month at 91亚色 recognizes the contributions of these communities while underscoring the ongoing work to address systemic barriers and build a more inclusive and equitable environment. Visit 91亚色鈥檚 Pride Month website for more.

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In a historic first, Canada鈥檚 2026 long-form census asks respondents about their sexual orientation, adding vital demographic evidence to the mandatory survey used to guide public funding and infrastructure planning.

For Nick Mul茅, it is a shift that has been decades in the making.

"Many of us feel this is long overdue," says Mul茅, professor at 91亚色's and Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. "I was one of many people who have been advocating for this, going back to the 1990s."

The question 鈥� which asks respondents to identify as heterosexual; lesbian or gay; bisexual or pansexual; or to write their own answers 鈥� appears on the long-form questionnaire sent to roughly 25 per cent of Canadian households. While Statistics Canada has collected sexual orientation data through smaller specialized surveys before, adding it to the census gives the findings a broader national reach and a different level of public visibility.

"The census is much larger. It goes right across Canada, and it's also mandatory," says Mul茅. "It lends legitimacy to these populations, raising their visibility."

But Mul茅 says visibility alone is not the point, and the more consequential argument is about evidence 鈥� and what its absence has cost.

When community organizations doing frontline work with 2SLGBTQIA+ populations have approached governments and funders to address the needs of their clients, they have often been told the same thing: without data, resources cannot flow.

"The government acknowledges they believe you, that it probably is true there is a struggle out there, but asks us to give hard evidence," Mul茅 explains.

That evidence gap is central to Mul茅's research. He is project director of 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Wellbeing, a 91亚色-hosted national study examining poverty among 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Early findings from this project's national survey reflect what frontline workers have long reported: these populations face significant and compounding hardships.

Census data on sexual orientation could deepen that picture considerably. Mul茅 points to housing, health care, employment, education, income and social services as areas where 2SLGBTQIA+ people face disproportionate challenges due to discrimination, stigma and bias 鈥� barriers that differ meaningfully depending on life stage, from youth to seniors.

"Not everyone experiences those things the same way," he says. "It's important that those links are made between one's social location and the kind of challenges they're facing."

The categories included in the census question, Mul茅 says, are reasonable, and the write-in option is an important safeguard for those whose identity does not fit the options. He acknowledges, however, that open-ended responses create complexity on the research end, as analysts must decide how to group and interpret varied self-descriptions.

More pressing concerns involve privacy, trust and the particular vulnerability of young respondents. Many 2SLGBTQIA+ people have not made their sexual orientation public, and disclosing such information on a government form is considered risky by some.

Those ages 15 and older can fill out the long-form census; however, in most households, an adult completes the form on behalf of all members. This raises concerns that younger individuals may not be accurately represented if adults are not aware of their sexual orientation.

"Those are some of the conundrums," Mul茅 says. "It's great on the one hand to include it, but Statistics Canada needs to be aware that there is a sensitivity attached to this when it comes to people's comfort level with disclosing this information."

Mul茅 frames the census change within a longer arc. Sexual orientation has been protected under human rights legislation in every province and territory, and federally, for many years. Yet, legal recognition has not brought an end to discrimination.

For Mul茅, having these communities counted in the census 鈥� and having that data inform policy, funding and services 鈥� is part of closing that gap.

"It really elevates the recognition and legitimacy of these groups in Canada," he says. 鈥淏y gathering data specific to the realities of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, governments can get a clearer picture of what these communities are facing and what resources, supports and services are needed to equitably meet those needs.鈥�

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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91亚色 recognizes Pride Month as a celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities and contributions, but also as a reminder of the ongoing struggles shaping these experiences locally and globally.

At a time when the rights and freedoms of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexually and gender-diverse communities are increasingly contested, Pride calls for reflection, action and celebration. The rollback of legal protections, policing of gender expression and marginalization of queer and trans voices highlight the fragility of progress and the uneven realities of safety and recognition. These conditions compel us to move beyond symbolic affirmation toward sustained, evidence-informed action.

91亚色鈥檚 community continues to advance research, teaching and creative work that deepens understanding and supports meaningful change. For example, 91亚色 nursing faculty are strengthening gender-affirming care practices through global learning initiatives, while other 91亚色 researchers are examining systemic inequities affecting gender-diverse communities, including new national evidence highlighting housing insecurity among transgender and non-binary Canadians.

Our commitment requires actively challenging structures of exclusion and fostering environments where diverse identities are not only protected but affirmed. This includes recognizing intersectionality and valuing the knowledge produced by queer and trans scholars as essential to academic excellence. 91亚色鈥檚 leadership in this area is reflected in the work of scholars such as Professor Emeritus Michael Gilbert, whose contributions to gender theory and advocacy were recognized with the 2025 Transgender Pioneer Award.

Throughout Pride Month, flag ceremonies will take place across all three campuses on June 8, 2 to 3 p.m. at Keele (Vari Hall), Glendon (Centre of Excellence) and Markham (first-floor atrium). Flags will be unfurled at Keele and Markham and displayed at Glendon, reaffirming 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to welcoming and inclusive spaces. Community members are encouraged to explore additional events and resources through 91亚色鈥檚 Pride programming.

91亚色 will also participate in Pride celebrations beyond our campuses, including the 91亚色 Region Pride Parade on June 13 in Newmarket () and the Toronto Pride Parade () on June 28. These opportunities reflect our broader engagement and solidarity with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Pride Month reminds us that building an inclusive university requires ongoing effort. 91亚色 remains dedicated to advancing policies, programs and practices that support 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff and faculty, while addressing systemic barriers to equity and belonging.

As we mark Pride Month, we invite all members of the 91亚色 community to celebrate, learn and reflect on how each of us can help create a more inclusive and affirming environment throughout the year.

Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.

Parissa Safai
Interim Vice-President Equity, People and Culture

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脌 l鈥檋eure o霉 les droits et les libert茅s des communaut茅s bispirituelles, lesbiennes, gaies, bisexuelles, transgenres, queer et d鈥檃utres communaut茅s de la diversit茅 sexuelle et de genre sont de plus en plus remis en question, le Mois de la fiert茅 invite 脿 la r茅flexion, 脿 l鈥檃ction et 脿 la c茅l茅bration. Le recul des protections juridiques, le contr么le de l鈥檈xpression de genre ainsi que la marginalisation des voix queer et trans mettent en lumi猫re la fragilit茅 des progr猫s r茅alis茅s et les r茅alit茅s in茅gales en mati猫re de s茅curit茅 et de reconnaissance. Ces r茅alit茅s nous obligent 脿 aller au-del脿 des gestes symboliques pour adopter des mesures concr猫tes, durables et 茅clair茅es par des donn茅es.

La communaut茅 de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 continue de faire progresser la recherche, l鈥檈nseignement et la cr茅ation afin d鈥檃pprofondir la compr茅hension de ces enjeux et de contribuer 脿 des changements significatifs. Par exemple, des membres du corps professoral en sciences infirmi猫res de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 renforcent les pratiques de soins d鈥檃ffirmation de genre gr芒ce 脿 des initiatives d鈥檃pprentissage 脿 l鈥櫭ヽhelle mondiale. D鈥檃utres chercheur路se路s de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 茅tudient les in茅galit茅s syst茅miques touchant les communaut茅s de la diversit茅 de genre, notamment 脿 la lumi猫re de nouvelles donn茅es nationales mettant en 茅vidence l鈥檌ns茅curit茅 en mati猫re de logement chez les personnes transgenres et non binaires au Canada.

Notre engagement exige de remettre activement en question les structures d鈥檈xclusion et de favoriser des milieux o霉 les diverses identit茅s sont non seulement prot茅g茅es, mais aussi reconnues et valoris茅es. Cela comprend la reconnaissance de l鈥檌ntersectionnalit茅 ainsi que la valorisation des savoirs produits par les chercheur路se路s queer et trans comme 茅tant essentiels 脿 l鈥檈xcellence universitaire. Le leadership de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 dans ce domaine se refl猫te dans le travail de chercheur路se路s, comme le professeur 茅m茅rite Michael Gilbert, dont les contributions 脿 la th茅orie du genre et 脿 la d茅fense des droits des personnes transgenres ont 茅t茅 reconnues par le 2025 Transgender Pioneer Award.

Tout au long du Mois de la fiert茅, des c茅r茅monies de lever du drapeau auront lieu sur les trois campus le 8 juin : Keele (Vari Hall, de 14 h 脿 15 h), Glendon (Centre d鈥檈xcellence) et Markham (atrium du premier 茅tage). Les drapeaux seront hiss茅s aux campus Keele et Markham et d茅ploy茅s au campus Glendon, r茅affirmant l鈥檈ngagement de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 envers des espaces accueillants et inclusifs. Les membres de la communaut茅 sont invit茅s 脿 d茅couvrir les activit茅s et les ressources offertes dans le cadre du Mois de la fiert茅 脿 91亚色.

L鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 prendra 茅galement part aux c茅l茅brations de la fiert茅 au-del脿 de ses campus. Elle sera notamment au d茅fil茅 de la fiert茅 de la r茅gion de 91亚色 le 13聽juin 脿 Newmarket (), ainsi qu鈥檃u d茅fil茅 de la fiert茅 de Toronto le 28聽juin (). Ces occasions t茅moignent de l鈥檈ngagement et de la solidarit茅 de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 envers les communaut茅s聽2ELGBTQIA+.

Le Mois de la fiert茅 nous rappelle que la cr茅ation d鈥檜ne universit茅 inclusive exige un engagement continu. L鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 demeure d茅termin茅e 脿 faire progresser des politiques, des programmes et des pratiques qui soutiennent les 茅tudiant路e路s, les membres du personnel et le corps professoral 2ELGBTQIA+, tout en s鈥檃ttaquant aux obstacles syst茅miques 脿 l鈥櫭﹒uit茅 et au sentiment d鈥檃ppartenance.

Alors que nous soulignons le Mois de la fiert茅, nous invitons tous les membres de la communaut茅 de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 脿 c茅l茅brer, 脿 apprendre et 脿 r茅fl茅chir 脿 la fa莽on dont chacun路e peut contribuer 脿 cr茅er, tout au long de l鈥檃nn茅e, un milieu plus inclusif et affirmatif.

Merci. Thank you. Miigwech.

Parissa Safai
Vice-pr茅sidente par int茅rim de l鈥櫭﹒uit茅, des personnes et de la culture

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Now in its 14th year, the award honours Robert J. Tiffin, who served as 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president, students, for nine years. University community members nominate individuals who demonstrate leadership and make valuable contributions to 91亚色.   

This year鈥檚 recipients represent a wide range of disciplines and leadership pathways, says Yvette Munro, vice-provost, students. 

鈥淭he depth and breadth of leadership shown by our students is remarkable and we continue to see the meaningful ways they contribute to 91亚色," says Munro. 鈥淲hether they are supporting students across the University, within their Faculty or in groups built around shared interests or lived experiences, their leadership helps strengthen the 91亚色 community.鈥� 

Recipients of the award play a vital role in shaping the 91亚色 student experience and enhancing the character of 91亚色, says Tiffin. 鈥淭hey have led, not because they were asked, but because they cared enough to step forward. Through their contributions they have nurtured a 91亚色 tradition of a university that embraces new ideas and innovative thinking.鈥� 

The winners were celebrated on May 6 at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele Campus. 

2026 Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award recipients

Devonte Ellis, bachelor of education

Ellis has made extensive contributions to 91亚色's Music department and the Faculty of Education. He has been a festival coordinator, president of the Music Education Students鈥� Association and previous Chair of music's leadership council. He is also the founder and director of the Lions drumline and marching band. Additionally, Ellis has worked in student governance across the University in multiple positions and says one of his most impactful achievements has been as president of the Faculty of Education Students鈥� Association.

Isabella Gouveia, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in history and concurrent education

Gouveia has been actively involved in student engagement at 91亚色. She began as an Orientation Week lead captain for Founders College, followed by the Orientation director of partnerships and integration. In this role, she built relationships with various departments and staff and supported transitioning students across the University. Her orientation involvement also led her to serve as president of Founders College Student Council for two years.

Anaum Fatima Iqbal, bachelor of education

Iqbal has been a long-standing active participant of Calumet College and is now president of Calumet College Council. She actively spearheads new initiatives for the council, including converting one of the college鈥檚 spaces into a multi-faith prayer space and tacking food insecurity by providing free monthly breakfasts to college members. Iqbal has also been the vice-president of athletics and a student success mentor lead for the college.

Dipanpreet Kaur, bachelor of arts (honours) in English and professional writing

Kaur has been involved across campus since her first year, with involvement across the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and 91亚色鈥檚 international community. She is the president of the International Student Association of 91亚色, a council member of the Dean鈥檚 Circle of Student Scholars and was the marketing director for Peace by PEACE. Kaur says her most meaningful contribution has been supporting international students as they adjusted to university life, which inspired her to step into larger leadership roles.

Rubaljeet Kaur, bachelor of commerce (specialized honours) in accounting

Kaur is dedicated to creating spaces at 91亚色 where others can feel seen and have their voices heard. She is the founder and president of the Asian Women in Commerce Association, a community of more than 30 members that addresses representation gaps in business leadership, and hosts the Women in Law Association podcast. Kaur also holds leadership roles with the Social Work Students鈥� Association, LA&PS, 91亚色 International and 91亚色's Asian Youth Network.

Jaryeon Lee, master of science in kinesiology and health science

Lee鈥檚 passion for health sciences is apparent through her leadership in the field. As president of the Kinesiology and Health Sciences Graduate Student Association, Lee expanded outreach, strengthened the academic and professional community within the department and launched a new mentor-mentee program. She was also a graduate student representative on the Academic Council of Kinesiology and Health Science and is currently a representative for the Kinesiology and Health Science Curriculum Exercise meetings.

Nikan Movahedi, bachelor of science (specialized honours) in kinesiology and health science

Movahedi has led numerous initiatives at 91亚色 focused on health research and education. He is a coordinator for the largest health-oriented conference dedicated to undergraduate researchers in Canada and established the 91亚色 Blood Initiative, 91亚色鈥檚 first structured transportation system to local donation centres. Additionally, Movahedi is a student health ambassador and a student representative for the and has been both a volunteer research assistant and mentor.

Simone Elizabeth Pimenta, bachelor of business administration (honours) specialization in marketing and strategic management

Inspired after attending Orientation Week in her first year, Pimenta decided to serve as an Orientation Week executive the following year, followed by Orientation Week Chair for the Schulich School of Business. Pimenta has been heavily involved with the as the current president of the Undergraduate Business Society, as a former mentor for Schulich Women in Leadership and as a senior advisor for the Schulich Business Law Association.

Tariq Salim, bachelor of electrical engineering

Salim has been very involved in the throughout his degree. He has served as a WeekZer0 leader and vice-chair, where he executed programming and created an inclusive environment for new students to feel comfortable and confident. Salim has been an electrical engineering program representative within Lassonde, advocating for student concerns, and is currently the Lassonde representative for Bethune College Council.

Cheyenne Schmidt-Harlick, bachelor of arts (honours), double major in psychology and Indigenous studies

Schmidt-Harlick has made a lasting impact on Indigenous student support and representation across the University. During her time as president of the Indigenous Students Association at 91亚色 and as a student success mentor for Indigenous Student Services, she created welcoming spaces through advocacy, programming and relationship building. Additionally, Schmidt-Harlick held roles as a marketing coordinator for the Undergraduate Psychology Students Association and as a student health ambassador.

Amy Yeung, bachelor of science in kinesiology and health science

Yeung, a kung-fu practitioner for more than 16 years, revived and rebuilt the Martial Arts Club at 91亚色, which now has more than 75 members. Through the club, Yeung shares cultural traditions, community building and provides an accessible space for physical activity. Inclusivity is at the forefront of Yeung鈥檚 leadership practices within the Martial Arts Club, where the needs of women, 2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC and differently abled members are continuously advocated for.

Niemat Yusuf, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in psychology

As president of Black Students in Psychology, Yusuf successfully restructured the organization and scaled the executive team from six members to 24. She also expanded cross-campus partnerships and launched a peer mentorship initiative to support upper-year Black psychology students. Yusuf has volunteered in peer advocacy and mentorship roles for the Centre for Sexual Violence, Response, Support & Education, the Black Student Mentorship Program and the Undergraduate Psychology Student Association.

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Published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the study provides the first population-level evidence of these disparities using national census data.

鈥淗ousing is one of those core human rights we often associate with health,鈥� says Antony Chum, associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 and Canada Research Chair in Population Health Data Science. 鈥淭his study really aims to shed light on housing as a key social determinant, alongside mental health, food insecurity and other challenges communities are facing.鈥�

examines housing conditions for households led by cisgender, transgender and non-binary people across the country using data from the 2021 Canadian Long Form Census.

鈥淭he Canadian census is actually the first census in the world to include transgender and non-binary people,鈥� says Yihong Bai, co-researcher at 91亚色鈥檚 Population Health Data Science Lab and assistant professor at the University of Manitoba. 鈥淭hat allowed us, for the first time, to look at housing outcomes for transgender and gender-diverse household heads at a national level.鈥�

The findings show that transgender and gender-diverse households are far more likely to experience 鈥渃ore housing need鈥� 鈥� a federal measure that reflects whether housing is unaffordable, in disrepair or overcrowded.

Households led by cisgender men were the least likely to experience this outcome, with an estimated probability of eight per cent. In contrast, cisgender women-led households face a 12.8 per cent risk. Rates were markedly higher for transgender-led households, with probabilities of: 16.5 per cent for transgender men; 21.2 per cent for transgender women; 21.2 per cent for non-binary people assigned female at birth; and 19.4 per cent for non-binary people assigned male at birth.

鈥淎bout 16.5 to 21 per cent of transgender and non-binary household heads are in core housing need, compared to about eight per cent of cisgender men. That鈥檚 one of the biggest findings from the study,鈥� says Gwen Ehi, PhD candidate at 91亚色 who worked on the study. Most previous research, she says, relied on small or targeted samples, limiting the ability to generalize findings to the broader population.

Bai adds that one limitation of the study is that gender identity is self-reported in the Canadian census data. 鈥淲e believe the numbers of gender diverse households are likely underreported,鈥� he says.

Researchers analyzed data from primary household maintainers aged 15 and older, using census questions on sex at birth and gender identity to distinguish between cisgender men, cisgender women, transgender men, transgender women and non-binary individuals assigned male or female at birth.

They assessed whether these households met the criteria for core housing need, while accounting for factors such as age, income, education, region and housing tenure.

鈥淭he numbers were startling,鈥� says contributor and 91亚色 PhD student Kristine Ienciu. 鈥淭he disparities were largest among youth, renters and multi-person households. Those groups consistently showed the highest levels of housing need across gender-diverse populations.鈥�

The implications extend beyond housing alone. When homes are unaffordable or in need of major repairs, residents are more likely to experience poorer physical and mental health which contributes to higher stress, chronic illness and reduced access to care, says Chum.

The study, he urges, calls for a more explicit integration of gender identity into housing policy and planning.

Peiya Cao, postdoctoral researcher in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health says affordable and supportive housing units earmarked for the transgender and gender-diverse community are essential, along with stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination protections in the rental market, and better access to supports like income and mental health services 鈥� especially for youth.

With files from Karen Martin-Robbins

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