LGBTQ+ Canadians have been deeply impacted by violence recently and may need to find mental health professionals to help cope with the trauma and stress.

For example, drag performances being targeted by protests is not only something happening in the United States. In fact, the rise of hatred and violence against the LGBTQ+ communities, including drag artists, is happening all across Canada. Earlier this month, Ontario, Canada’s NDP asked the government to ensure that there would be community safety zones protecting drag artists and LGBTQ+ communities from harassment at their performances.

According to figures from Statistics Canada, there has been a 64 percent rise in police-reported hate crimes due to sexual orientation, increasing from 258 in 2020 to 423 in 2021.

This article will highlight two well-known cities in Ontario, Toronto, and Ottawa, and discuss LGBTQ+ facts, mental health, and various pieces of data. 

If you are looking for mental health help in these areas, be sure to browse our listings at LGBTQ and All. 

Toronto, Ontario 

LGBTQ+ Canadians: Facts

Toronto has a lively LGBTQ+ community, with its main gayborhood located in the Church-Wellesley Village. This area of town is a residential-and-shopping neighborhood with bustling nightlife activities. Pride Toronto takes place every June, where the whole community turns into a massive fun party.

Here are some iconic LGBTQ+ things you won’t want to miss in Toronto:

• Woody’s – One of Toronto’s most popular queer bars.
• Plays and shows at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
• Drag shows at Crews & Tangos
• The welcoming Kinka Izakaya
• Glad Day Bookshop – North America’s oldest surviving LGBTQ+ bookstore

Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario

Depression and anxiety have increased among children and youth in Ontario since the start of the pandemic and have been continuing this way, according to recent findings from an ongoing COVID-19 mental health study from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). In other words, these results conclude that the pandemic has severely, continually negative impact on young people’s mental health and their families in Canada.

Luckily, mental health care is available in Toronto for youths of any age. Be sure to check out our psychologists for kid’s listings on LGBTQ and ALL. 

Top Features for Toronto, Ontario

Toronto is a major metropolitan city located in Ontario. It is found along Lake Ontario’s northwestern shore, with impressive skyscrapers and the epic, free-standing CN Tower. In addition, you can find many green spaces in Toronto, like the oval of Queen’s Park or High Park, which features trails, sports facilities, and a zoo.

Other notable attractions in Toronto include:

• Royal Ontario Museum (The ROM)
• Casa Loma
• Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
• Toronto Zoo
• Toronto Islands
• St. Lawrence Market 
• Trinity Bellwoods Park

Facts

1. Toronto is not only the largest city in Canada but the 4th largest city in North America.
2. You can find over 10 million trees in Toronto.
3. The CN Tower is the largest free-standing structure in the entire Western Hemisphere.
4. Toronto has teams in every major sports league.
5. Pearson Airport, located in Toronto, is Canada’s busiest airport.
6. The Toronto Zoo is known to be the largest zoo in Canada and even one of the biggest in the world.
7. Yonge Street is one of the longest streets globally. 
8. Toronto is home to residents that represent over 200 diverse ethnic origins.
9. The street Spadina Avenue has Ojibwe origins.
10. The Rogers Centre (formerly known as the SkyDome) was the first stadium with a fully retractable motorized roof.
11. The PATH is the biggest underground shopping complex worldwide. 
12. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the most significant publicly attended film festivals worldwide.
13. The Toronto Islands are where you can find one of the most extensive urban car-free communities in North America.
14. Toronto’s Caribana Festival is the largest street festival in North America.

History/Data

In 1834, Toronto officially became a city. However, its history traces back to the early 1600s, when a Frenchman named Etienne Brûlé was sent into this region by famous explorer Samuel de Champlain. He ended up finding many rivers and portage routes. 

Currently, Toronto’s population is estimated to be 6,254,571 residents. 

The City of Toronto is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, the Wendat peoples, and many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Ottawa, Ontario 

LGBTQ+ Canadians: Facts

Ottawa is a welcoming place with a rich LGBTQ2+ history. For instance, the first-ever public gay and lesbian demonstration in Canada occurred on Parliament Hill in 1971. In the city’s Village, you can find a stunning mural, “We Demand,” commemorating this event. 

In addition, the Village is a thriving gayborhood with well-established and newly emerging LGBTQ2+-owned businesses. Some examples are bars like Swizzles and the lesbian-owned coffee house chain Bridgehead Coffee.

Drag is also an essential part of the LGBTQ+ scene in Ottawa. There are regular drag shows nearly every night of the week, along with drag kings and drag burlesque performers. For more low-key daytime events, check out the Vanitea Room for a monthly drag brunch hosted by Devona.

Mental Health in Ottawa, Ontario

Here are some current mental health statistics regarding children and youth in Ontario:

• Half Ontario’s parents have mentioned concerns about their child’s anxiety levels.
• A third of Ontario’s parents have kept a child home from school because of anxiety.
• One-quarter of Ontario parents have missed work to look after a child experiencing anxiety.
• 62% of Ontario youth had expressed concerns about their anxiety levels, with only 3 in 10 (32%) seeking a mental health care professional to discuss their anxiety. 
• As many as 1 in 5 young people in Ontario will have some form of mental health problem.
• 5 out of 6 kids needing mental health care will not receive the required treatment.
• 70% of mental health problems for kids start during childhood or adolescence.
• 17% of children ages 2 to 5 meet diagnostic criteria for mental health issues.
• 28% of students said they didn’t know how to access care to talk to someone about their mental health issues.
• Canada’s youth suicide rate is at an ultimate high and ranks third-highest in the industrialized world.

To find a psychologist for kids in the Ottawa area, refer to our listing on LGBTQ and ALL. 

Top Features for Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa is the capital of Canada, located towards the east of southern Ontario. It is near Montréal, near the U.S. border, and lies on the Ottawa River. In addition, one of its most significant attractions is Parliament Hill, featuring exquisite Victorian architecture and museums like the National Gallery of Canada. This establishment has renowned collections of indigenous art and other Canadian works. In addition, the park-lined Rideau Canal contains boats in summer and ice skaters in winter. 

Facts

1. Queen Victoria of Britain decided that Ottawa would be the capital of Canada in 1857.
2. The name Ottawa is derived from the Algonquin word adawe, translating to trade.
3. Ottawa is known as the seventh coldest capital globally.
4. In winter, the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa is the longest skating rink globally, at 7.8 km.
5. Approximately half the population is under 35 years old, making it one of the youngest cities in the nation. 
6. Ottawa hosts 35 major festivals yearly, with The Canadian Tulip Festival, being one of the most well-known. 
7. The Château Laurier Hotel is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Charles Melville Hays, the company president that constructed the hotel. Twelve days before the hotel officially opened, Hays died on the Titanic.

History/Data

The city, now known as Ottawa, was a trading and lumbering hub that emerged as a significant town in the region. Ottawa continued its status of being the capital of Canada when the nation became a dominion within the British Commonwealth in 1867.

The City of Ottawa celebrates the peoples and land of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation. In addition, this city also honors all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and their current and present contributions to this land.

In 2021, Ottawa’s population was estimated to be 1,407,928 residents.