Federal Health Minister Mark Holland was in Edmonton on Thursday to announce new funding for organizations in that city — and in Manitoba — that are working to improve access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and resources.
Health Canada is pledging to provide close to $1.3 million in funding to support initiatives being worked on by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Black, African and Caribbean (CHABAC) Network housed at HIV Edmonton, which will receive about $400,000, and at the Sexuality Education Resource Centre Manitoba, which will receive about $850,000
The funding will come from Health Canada’s SRH fund, which the federal government says it created with the aim of supporting projects that help “people in Canada who are at increased risk for poorer SRH outcomes, including members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, Indigenous and racialized people, women and youth.”
According to Health Canada, the fund has provided funding for 23 projects to date.
“As many individuals continue to face barriers and stigma when trying to access these services, organizations like HIV Edmonton and the Sexuality Resource Centre Manitoba are doing important work to support and improve access for everyone, no matter who they are or where they live,” Holland said in a news release.
Randy Boissonnault, the federal minister of employment, workforce development and official languages, was also at Thursday’s announcement and called HIV Edmonton an organization that has “contributed immensely” to diverse and affirming education and running awareness campaigns.
“Everyone has the right to access safe, and stigma-free sexual and reproductive health services,” he said in a news release. “Organizations like HIV Edmonton and the Sexuality Resource Centre Manitoba improve access and reduce barriers to these services for underserved communities across the Prairies.
“Our government is here as a partner in this important work.”
Holland said the funding that HIV Edmonton is set to receive will go toward “their project to improve access to services for Black, African and Caribbean communities, including the 2SLGBTQI+ people, women youth and newcomers.”
“In collaboration with regional hubs, the network will develop training resources for health-care providers, launch an awareness campaign and introduce a help line for Canadians residing in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.”
Heather Nyamazana, the director of national initiatives, HIV Edmonton said some of the funding will also be spent in British Columbia.
She said public health literature she has seen supports the need for funding such initiatives.
“When you don’t have services that are culturally relevant to a population, the education does not reach the population,” Nyamazana said.
Holland said the funding that the Sexuality Education Resource Centre Manitoba is set to receive will help “expand their current educational offerings on sexual health, pregnancy, safer sex and relationships.”
“They will launch a promotional campaign to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information while also producing culturally safer bilingual tools and training to support health-care providers in underserved communities,” he said.
“(They) will also engage with newcomer 2SLGBTQI+ and youth populations to meaningful … project activities… including the creation of diverse, affirming teaching tools about reproductive organ systems.”
Holland said initiatives like these “”have to be led by people who understand on the ground the needs … (that people in) the community are facing.”
“When we’re approaching public health generally, we can’t think of an Ottawa-centric view where we sit in a bubble and try to project into communities what’s best for them,” he said. “We have to support and build communities up so that they have the opportunity to lead.”