Canada at a Glance, 2022
LGBTQ2+ people

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Did you know?

Canada is home to approximately 1 million people who are LGBTQ2+.^Note^Note
An estimated 1 million people in Canada are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or of another sexual orientation than heterosexual - representing 4% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and older. Among this population, about 52% are women, 44% are men, and 3% are non-binary.^Note
Looking specifically at gender diversity, about 100,815 people in Canada are transgender (59,460) or non-binary (41,355), accounting for 0.33% of the population aged 15 years and over. Among transgender people, 53% were women and 47% were men.^Note

Table 6
Highest level of education completed, by LGBTQ2+ and non-LGBTQ2+ populations, Canada, 2018
Table summary
This table displays the results of Highest level of education completed. The information is grouped by Highest degree (appearing as row headers), LGBTQ2+ and Non-LGBTQ2+, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Highest degree	LGBTQ2+	Non-LGBTQ2+
Highest degree	percent
Secondary school or less	42.1	37.2
Trade certificate	6.2	9.1
Degree below bachelor's	20.8	23.8
Bachelor's degree and above	30.8	29.3
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, 2018.

Table 7
Age groups, by LGBTQ2+ and non-LGBTQ2+ populations, Canada, 2018
Table summary
This table displays the results of Age groups. The information is grouped by Age groups (appearing as row headers), LGBTQ2+ and Non-LGBTQ2+, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Age groups	LGBTQ2+	Non-LGBTQ2+
Age groups	percent
15 to 24	29.7	14.0
25 to 34	28.7	16.5
35 to 44	15.0	16.1
45 to 54	10.1	16.1
55 to 64	9.2	16.8
65+	7.3	20.6
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, 2018.

Table 8
Total personal income (before tax), by LGBTQ2+ and non-LGBTQ2+ populations, Canada, 2018
Table summary
This table displays the results of Total personal income (before tax). The information is grouped by Total personal income (before tax) (appearing as row headers), LGBTQ2+ and Non-LGBTQ2+, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Total personal income (before tax)	LGBTQ2+	Non-LGBTQ2+
Total personal income (before tax)	percent
Less than $20,000	40.5	26.2
$20,000 to $39,999	24.0	23.3
$40,000 to $59,999	16.5	19.2
$60,000 to $79,999	8.2	12.6
$80,000 to $99,999	5.4	7.9
$100,000 and more	5.5	10.8
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, 2018.

Better data on LGBTQ2+ people … in brief

In response to growing demand for more detailed data about the experiences of marginalized groups, Statistics Canada has been working to ensure that its data programs remain relevant to the evolving interests of all Canadians.

For the 2021 Census questionnaire, Statistics Canada included a modified question on sex at birth and a new question on gender. In addition, the agency has been modernizing the collection of gender-related information in social surveys.

To learn more

Sex, gender and sexual orientation statistics (statcan.gc.ca)

Notes

Footnote 1.

The Government of Canada uses the acronym 2SLGBTQI+ to refer to people that are Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or who use other terms related to gender or sexual diversity. For the purposes of data analysis, this paper uses the acronym LGBTQ2+, which does not include intersex people, as Statistics Canada does not have data on this population. Statistics Canada's main classification of sex at birth includes two categories: male and female. The sex at birth standard provides a classification variant with three categories: male, female and intersex. However, for reasons related to the small size of the intersex population and the challenges in identifying intersex people, Statistics Canada has not yet collected specific information on intersex people in Canada.

Return to note 1 referrer

Footnote 2.

Statistics Canada. The Daily — A statistical portrait of Canada's diverse LGBTQ2+ communities (statcan.gc.ca).

Return to note 2 referrer

Footnote 3.