An awesome, clean and friendly sex shop for women and queer folks? Yes, please. Venus Envy Ottawa is one of two small Canadian sex shops, the other being Halifax, which also has a full bookstore.It first opened in 2001 on Parent Avenue in the Byward…

Holly and Julia Wagg, parents themselves, decided to found a new organization in 2004 that would offer LGBT children or children of LGBT parents, a safe, welcoming and educational and supportive summer camp program that nurtures self-worth and…

Swizzles is a bias-free bar with a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes all. The crowd can include anyone from retired civil servants, trans youth, straight couples making out, or a table of college-aged lesbians, and everyone gets along just fine. The…

Stroked Ego is a great boutique men's clothing store that's gay owned and operated. Opening at 224 Bank in 2010, the store relocated to its current location on the second floor at 131 Bank five years later. The store offers a wide and fashionable…

Now located on the second floor at 256 Bank, One in Ten is a long-standing gay-owned sex shop. The store was located further north at 216 Bank for many years. Primarily a video rental store, with sex toys, lubes and condoms, the store also boasts a…

CAS was founded in 1986 at the height of the AIDS crisis with 16 original members, including the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, working out of a shared Edmonton office. CAS becomes a registered charity in 1988 and moves to Ottawa. The coalition of the…

The Lord Elgin's queer history is legendary, and starts virtually at its opening in 1941. Located near the drill hall, it became a natural space for closeted gay and bisexual men, especially those working the government, to meet here. In the 50s and…

The AIDS Committee of Ottawa was formed in 1985 after Barry Deeprose, a board member at Pink Triangle Services, declared there was an urgent need to deal with the growing AIDS crisis in Ottawa. A first meeting on October 9th that year draw large…

Pink Triangle Services, which recently changed its name to Kind, has a long and interesting history. In 1984, Gays of Ottawa (GO) was recognizing that funding was hard to obtain without a charitable designation. It was decided that a new…

CCHC is Centretown's (and the Village's) spectacular community centre. Since 1969, they have been offering a wide variety of health and well-being services. Their team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors, dietitians, community…