Canada’s leading advocate for queer-owned businesses is launching a new national network aimed at helping 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs start, grow, and scale their ventures.

The Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce (CQCC) has unveiled The FAM Program, a professional community open to any queer-identifying entrepreneur who owns between one and 100 percent of their business. The initiative is free to join until March 31, 2026.

The program is designed to strengthen a segment of the Canadian economy that already generates an estimated $22 billion in economic activity. According to CQCC, there are more than 100,000 queer-owned businesses in Canada employing over 435,000 people nationwide.

“The goal of The FAM Program is to increase the visibility of 2SLGBTQI+ businesses and to create a strong community of professionals that may have faced challenges because of their identity,” said Sarah Evalina, CQCC’s Chief Operating Officer. “These businesses bring so much to the larger communities. By connecting these queer professionals through The FAM Program, we can strengthen these individual ventures that are driving economic growth in markets across Canada.”

Through The FAM, members gain access to networking events across the country, a national community hub for collaboration and peer learning, industry-focused workshops designed to boost sales and referrals, and high-visibility spotlight opportunities that introduce entrepreneurs to new customers and corporate partners. The business itself does not need to be queer-focused to qualify—membership is tied to ownership and identity rather than sector or brand positioning.

Despite progress in inclusion, queer entrepreneurs continue to face disproportionate barriers when it comes to accessing capital and growth support. CQCC says The FAM is intended to help close those gaps by strengthening professional networks and opening new pathways to funding and partnerships.

Elaine Kwok of marketing and design agency Go Banana! said the value lies in belonging to a community that understands both the opportunities and the challenges. “The FAM can help us be part of a thriving business community,” she said. “That means helping us meet potential clients and partners, providing educational and practical resources, and even lobbying for government support for small businesses.”

The launch builds on CQCC’s growing national mandate. In 2023, the Government of Canada selected the organization to administer the world’s first $25 million 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program, expanding formal support structures for queer founders across the country.

The FAM’s in-person programming begins in Vancouver on March 5, with additional events expected nationwide throughout the year.

As economic uncertainty and political polarization shape the broader landscape, CQCC is positioning The FAM as both a business growth engine and a signal that queer entrepreneurship remains a vital and expanding force within Canada’s economy.