Queer & Trans Health Collective

What Queer & Trans Health Collective does

Queer & Trans Health Collective (QTHC) is a grassroots, member-governed non-profit health organization headquartered in Edmonton (Amiskwaciwâskahikan), Alberta, operating within Treaty 6 territory. Founded in 2015 as the Edmonton Men's Health Collective and rebranded to its current name following a 2021 membership vote, QTHC provides services to 2S/LGBTQIA+ community members across Edmonton, Alberta, and increasingly at the national level. Its core offerings are organized into five programmatic areas: (1) Peer N Peer, a peer-led harm reduction and sexual health program providing counseling, education, harm reduction supplies, and the Spectrum Drug Testing service; (2) HEAL, an umbrella health leadership training framework encompassing Investigaytors (community-based research training), Pivot (two-year advocacy capacity-building), and Totally Outright (launched October 2024); (3) Affirming Care Alberta, which delivers training toolkits and best-practice guidelines to doctors, nurses, and pharmacists; (4) community-based participatory research including the first National 2S/LGBTQIA+ Substance Use Study conducted with Norquest College; and (5) a free online resource library covering sexual, mental, physical, social, and harm reduction health topics. No proprietary technology platforms underpin the offering; service delivery is community-led and peer-mediated.

The organization is sustained through a mixed revenue model drawing primarily on government grants (Public Health Agency of Canada, Women and Gender Equality Canada, Alberta Health, Government of Alberta), supplemented by individual donations processed through Zeffy and Canada Helps, and a paid membership program offering AGM voting rights and partner discounts. The recorded headcount sits in the 11-50 range with a roughly ten-person core team including an Interim Executive Director, Education and Advocacy Manager, Harm Reduction Manager, Operations Coordinator, Policy and Education Specialists, Investigaytors Coordinators, and a Peer Outreach Worker, supported by an eight-person volunteer Board of Directors. QTHC's go-to-market is community-led and direct, relying on peer referrals, community partnerships (CBRC, Pride Centre of Edmonton, Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, Fruit Loop, Norquest College, MacEwan University, Streetworks, Trans Wellness Initiative), and a website serving as an information hub. All direct services are provided free of charge, framing the organization's positioning around access rather than transaction.

Name

Queer & Trans Health Collective

Legal name

Queer and Trans Health Collective Society

Website

https://ourhealthyeg.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QTHC is a grassroots, member-governed non-profit health organization based in Edmonton, Alberta, providing harm reduction, sexual health support, community-based research, and provider training to 2S/LGBTQIA+ community members and healthcare professionals across Alberta and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Support Communities (BPAMABAL)

Keywords

• Harm reduction services
• Sexual health education
• Community-based research
• Healthcare provider training
• Community health leadership

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from government sources including Public Health Agency of Canada, Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), Alberta Health, and Government of Alberta. Grants support specific programs and research initiatives.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donations collected through Zeffy (100% of donation goes to organization) and Canada Helps (processing fees retained by platform). Charitable receipts available through Canada Helps.
3. Membership Program: Annual memberships offering voting rights at AGM, access to member-only events, and discounts with community partners (Kind Ice Cream 15% discount, SEXPLETIVE 10% discount).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Queer & Trans Health Collective (QTHC) is a grassroots nonprofit health organization that provides free harm reduction services (including drug testing, safer substance use education, and supply distribution), one-on-one counseling, sexual health resources, and referrals through its Peer N Peer program. It also delivers community health leadership training (Investigaytors, Pivot, Totally Outright) and Affirming Care Alberta provider training for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, while conducting community-based research such as the National 2S/LGBTQIA+ Substance Use Study. All services are offered free of charge to community members and funded through government grants and individual donations.

Product overview

Queer & Trans Health Collective is a grassroots health organization offering a portfolio of community health programs and services. The organization operates through several core programmatic areas: (1) Peer N Peer (PNP) - a peer-led substance use and sexual health program providing counselling, education, and harm reduction supplies; (2) HEAL - an umbrella community health leadership program comprising three sub-programs (Investigaytors, Pivot, Totally Outright) that build capacity for community-based research and advocacy; (3) Affirming Care Alberta - provider training to improve affirming care access for trans and gender diverse patients; (4) Spectrum Drug Testing - drug testing services; and (5) Research initiatives including the National 2S/LGBTQIA+ Substance Use Study and regional substance use surveys. Additionally, QTHC maintains an extensive resource library covering sexual, mental, physical, and social health topics specific to queer and trans communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Peer N Peer: A peer-led queer substance use and sexual health program, offered by the QTHC. Rooted in harm reduction principles, PNP meets folks where they're at on their substance use journey.
• HEAL
• Affirming Care Alberta
• Investigaytors
• Pivot
• Totally Outright

Products and services

• Peer N Peer (PNP) A peer-led queer substance use and sexual health program rooted in harm reduction principles. Provides safer substance use education, one-on-one counseling (4-6 sessions), access to clean harm reduction equipment, drug testing services, and referrals for 2S/LGBTQ+ community members in Edmonton and across Alberta.
• HEAL (Health Empowerment through Active Leadership) Umbrella community health leadership program providing participants access to the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to contribute to community health. Comprises three sub-programs (Investigaytors, Pivot, Totally Outright) operating under core principles of Building connections, Improving health literacy, Training in practical skills, and Empowering to solve challenges.
• Investigaytors A seven-month community health leadership program teaching best practices and methodologies for community-based research. Participants complete modules and conduct their own original research projects in partnership with the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC). Designed for queer and trans community members seeking research skills.
• Pivot A two-year community health advocacy program building individual and community capacity to respond to health challenges through social justice strategies for systems change. Participants learn change theory, 2S/LGBTQIA+ health issues, social justice, advocacy, and project design.
• Totally Outright A community health leadership program equipping young queer, trans, and Two Spirit people with social connections, health knowledge, and promotion skills to be health leaders in their communities. Launched October 2024 with a two-year duration.
• Affirming Care Alberta Project A project partnering with governing associations for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to improve access to affirming care for trans and gender diverse Albertans. Develops best practice guidelines, training toolkits, and professional development modules for healthcare providers.
• Spectrum Drug Testing Drug testing service as part of harm reduction programming, providing certified Spectrometer Technicians to test substances for community members.
• National 2S/LGBTQIA+ Substance Use Study The first national study on non-legalized substance use within the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community, led by QTHC in partnership with Norquest College. Shapes harm reduction work and contributes to advocacy efforts across Canada.
• Alberta 2S/LGBTQIA+ Substance Use Survey A 2023 province-wide survey examining substance use within the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community, including harm reduction needs, mental health, and sexualized substance use across Alberta.
• Edmonton 2SLGBTQ+ Substance Use Survey A 2018 local Edmonton survey examining substance use experiences among 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals and their access to harm reduction tools, supports, and services.
• Resource Library A comprehensive library of health resources covering sexual health (PrEP, HIV/STI testing, treatment, prevention), mental health, physical health, social health, harm reduction, and trans/non-binary health topics for the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community, delivered via the ourhealthyeg.ca website.
• QTHC Membership Program Annual membership program offering voting rights at AGM, access to member-only events, and discounts at community partners (Kind Ice Cream 15%, SEXPLETIVE 10% on shop items and workshops). Membership signup is processed via Zeffy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of trans and non-binary youth expressed current criteria for gender-affirming care was often redundant, outdated, and prohibitive
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Norquest CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Norquest College to lead the National 2S/LGBTQIA+ Substance Use Study. This project will shape work done by harm reduction organizations, respond to the lack of data on non-legalized substance use within the community, and contribute to advocacy efforts across the country.
• Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership to run the Investigaytors program, a community health leadership program providing opportunities for community members to learn community-based research skills and apply them through self-directed research projects. Also collaborated on Do You Mind? mental health program.
• Fruit LoopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with QTHC and Edmonton 2 Spirit Society on the 2018 Edmonton LGBTQ2S+ Substance Use Survey, funded by Alberta Health's Opioid Awareness Grant.
• Edmonton 2 Spirit SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with QTHC and Fruit Loop on the 2018 Edmonton LGBTQ2S+ Substance Use Survey to understand experiences of 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals who use substances and their access to harm reduction services.
• Trans Wellness InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help make trans and non-binary health information more accessible from QTHC's resources page. Provides links to trans wellness resources.
• QueerflexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner contributing to development of 2S/LGBTQIA+ inclusive fitness resources for fitness professionals.
• In Your Boots FitnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner contributing to development of 2S/LGBTQIA+ inclusive fitness resources for fitness professionals.
• Pride Centre of EdmontonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner contributing to development of 2S/LGBTQIA+ inclusive fitness resources for fitness professionals.
• StreetworksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization providing access to harm reduction supplies including injection equipment for community members unable to access free supplies from QTHC.
• MacEwan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with QTHC researchers on preliminary study identifying opportunities for delivering affirming care to Albertan trans and non-binary youth.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The 519: The 519 is a Toronto-based City of Toronto agency serving 2SLGBTQ+ communities with programming, resources, and advocacy. Comparable as a community-anchored organization offering health, social, and community development programming to LGBTQ+ populations.
• OUTSaskatoon: OUTSaskatoon is a Saskatchewan-based nonprofit supporting 2SLGBTQ+ communities through programming, education, and advocacy. Comparable as a regional community organization providing similar health, support, and capacity-building services.
• QMUNITY: QMUNITY is BC's queer, trans, and Two-Spirit resource centre, offering free counseling, support groups, and community programming. Directly comparable as a regional LGBTQ+ resource organization providing similar health, support, and community services.
• MAX Ottawa: MAX Ottawa is an LGBTQ+ health and wellness organization serving Ottawa's queer community through programming, peer support, and community building. Comparable community-based nonprofit with similar harm reduction, sexual health, and community engagement approaches.
• Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC): CBRC is a Canadian nonprofit advancing gay, bisexual, Two Spirit, and queer men's health through community-based research and the Investigaytors program. QTHC partners with CBRC on Investigaytors, making them directly comparable in research methodology and target population.
• Health Initiative for Men (HIM): HIM is a Vancouver-based nonprofit providing health and wellness programs for gay, bi, trans, and queer men. Directly comparable community health nonprofit serving similar populations with harm reduction, sexual health, and community research programs.

Broad incumbents

• Rainbow Health Ontario: Rainbow Health Ontario (a program of Sherbourne Health) advances LGBTQ+ health through training, resources, and policy. Directly comparable as a provider training and affirming care initiative, though provincial rather than Alberta-focused.
• Egale Canada: Egale Canada is a national LGBTQ+ human rights organization advancing equality through research, education, and advocacy. Comparable as a larger, national-scale organization working on LGBTQ+ issues including healthcare access, though with broader human rights mandate.
• Sherbourne Health Centre: Sherbourne Health is a Toronto urban health centre specializing in LGBTQ+ health, including the Rainbow Health Ontario program for provider training. Comparable as a larger organization offering affirming care training and LGBTQ+ health services, though with broader primary care capabilities.

Regional players

• Pride Centre of Edmonton: Pride Centre of Edmonton is a community partner of QTHC serving LGBTQ2S+ communities in Edmonton through programming and resources. Comparable as a local LGBTQ+ community organization, though with broader social programming focus rather than health specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Queer & Trans Health Collective