Overview
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s own data, more than $123 million dollars committed to HIV prevention and support initiatives in Canada since 2003 have not been delivered. Meanwhile — despite new and better tools to prevent HIV, such as PrEP — HIV cases have risen 26% since funding was frozen in 2008. For people living with or affected by HIV, programs and services are getting scaled back. Without adequate funding, community-based organizations that test, treat, prevent, and respond to HIV can’t provide the support that’s needed.
The federal government must commit to restore the millions of dollars in funding that have been frozen, diverted, or simply allowed to lapse unspent in Canada’s response to HIV over more than a decade. We must fund the response to HIV at $100 million annually, the level recommended by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health in 2019.
The pandemic is not over, and Canada’s response to HIV is stuck in the past. Restore the missing millions.
Learn more:
2025 Election Candidate Questions – Response from the Bloc Québécois
On Friday, April 11, the HIV Legal Network wrote to the party leaders in the Canadian Federal election with key questions on their party’s positions on issues related to HIV, human rights, and the law. Download the response from the Bloc Québécois, received on April 16, 2025 (French only):
2025 Election Candidate Questions – Response from the Green Party of Canada
On Friday, April 11, the HIV Legal Network wrote to the party leaders in the Canadian Federal election with key questions on their party’s positions on issues related to HIV, human rights, and the law. Download the response from the Green Party of Canada, received on April 22, 2025:
The Most Vulnerable Suffer: Access to social and medical assistance for people living with HIV and disabilities
The Access to social and medical services for persons with disabilities living with HIV study was carried out in May and June 2022 with the objective of identifying barriers and complexities for people living with HIV and disabilities in Russia during the coronavirus pandemic and at the outset of the war in Ukraine. Russian version:
Legal Network News – December 1, 2022
Today, the HIV Legal Network marks World AIDS Day by joining with the United Nations in a call to governments around the world to reform laws, policies, and practices that create and exacerbate the stigma faced by people living with HIV. This year’s theme is “Equalize” and we are recommitting ourselves to working to challenge laws that oppress … Read more
Rights Within Reach: Strategic Plan 2022-2027
The HIV Legal Network promotes the human rights of people living with HIV or AIDS and other populations disproportionately affected by HIV and criminalization, in Canada and internationally. In 2021, we undertook a planning process that would shape the strategic goals and priorities for the organization’s next five years (2022-2027). To do this, we sought … Read more
WORLD AIDS DAY 2022: IT’S TIME TO EQUALIZE, IN CANADA AND BEYOND
November 30, 2022 — Today, the HIV Legal Network marks World AIDS Day by joining with the United Nations (UN) in a call to governments around the world to reform laws, policies, and practices that create and exacerbate the stigma faced by people living with HIV. With this year’s theme being “Equalize,” we are focused … Read more
HIV, Hepatitis C and Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections in Canada: Top Election 2021 Issues
Joint press release: HIV, Hepatitis C and Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections in Canada: Top Election 2021 Issues Health and human rights groups identify priorities for federal policymakers as people in Canada head to the polls Tuesday, September 14, 2021 – More than 60,000 people are currently living with HIV in Canada, approximately 13% of … Read more
STATEMENT: SENATE MOTION CALLING ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE HIV FUNDING WELCOMED BY CIVIL SOCIETY
STATEMENT: SENATE MOTION CALLING ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE HIV FUNDING WELCOMED BY CIVIL SOCIETY The following can be attributed to Richard Elliott, Executive Director, HIV Legal Network. December 1, 2020 – Ottawa – For far too long, year-over-year, the HIV response in Canada has been stalled, with funding flat-lined. More than $123 million … Read more
NEWS RELEASE: CANADA AND THE HIV RESPONSE: TOP ISSUES FOR WORLD AIDS DAY 2020
CANADA AND THE HIV RESPONSE: TOP ISSUES FOR WORLD AIDS DAY 2020 Human rights, federal funding, opioid overdose crisis top priorities this year November 27, 2020 — Tuesday, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. Given our current context, the dangers of underfunding the response to public health crises are all too evident. Every … Read more
PRESS RELEASE: The Missing Millions, the Government of Canada and HIV
As community organizations are closing, the federal government presides over the continued steady erosion of federal HIV funding, with $104 million in funds lost from the response.