While Canada’s Human Rights Act attempts to protect workers in Canada from discrimination in both the private and public sectors, Black 2SLGBTQI+ workers have clearly been overlooked. As such, far too many Black 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada experience workplaces as sites of exclusion, discrimination, and unequal opportunity.

The absence of Black and/or 2SLGBTQI+ workers as a protected class in the Federal Employment Equity Act actively denies protections for people who live at that intersection, i.e. Black 2SLGBTQI+ workers. Black Queer Canada, Canada’s national Black 2SLGBTQI+ advocacy and policy organization, is co-chair of the National Employment Equity Council which urges the federal government to modernize the act by including protections for Black and 2SLGBTQI+ workers. At the time of this report, the changes have not been formalized. Black Queer Canada advocates for these changes to take place which would impact the 1.4 million workers in federally regulated workplaces in Canada and set a standard both nationally and internationally for employers to follow.

Hiring practices and workplace culture can inadvertently be shaped by anti-Black racism, queerphobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination. While considerable research has explored the experiences of Black workers and 2SLGBTQI+ workers independently, comparatively little research has examined the unique realities of those living at both intersections.

This report brings together existing Canadian evidence alongside findings from the 2024 Back to Our Roots national survey to provide employers, human resource professionals, policymakers, and organizational leaders with practical guidance for creating workplaces where Black 2SLGBTQI+ employees can thrive.