Egale Canada has partnered with Innovative Research Group (INNOVATIVE) to include LGBTQI2S communities in a national research study on the impacts of COVID-19 and the needs of Canadians during this health crisis. The newly released report,  Impacts of COVID-19: Canada’s LGBTQI2S Community in Focus, uncovers alarmingly disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable LGBTQI2S communities across several priority areas including household finances, job loss, mental and physical health, overall quality of life, and more. 

The survey results show a telling contrast between Canada’s LGBTQI2S community and the broader Canadian population. Although astonishing, the results are not unexpected. Below are some of the key findings:

• More than half (52%) of Canada’s LGBTQI2S households have faced lay-offs or reduced employment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 39% of overall Canadian households.
• The perceived negative impacts on mental health over time increase exponentially for LGBTQI2S people with nearly 60% of LGBTQI2S respondents reporting that they expect their mental health to be negatively impacted in the next 2 months compared to only 42% of the general public

Additionally, LGBTQI2S people are significantly more likely to have a chronic illness or physical disability, both of which come with many barriers and risks during a time of crisis. The report also shows that over time, the perceived or expected impacts on LGBTQI2S people rises at an exponentially higher rate than the average Canadian – in some areas there is nearly a 25% increase in perceived or expected negative impacts for particularly vulnerable LGBTQI2S people.