1973- Operation Socrates Handbook, a publication by the Canadian Gay Liberation Movement, is published through the University of Waterloo. Around 4,000 copies of the booklet are given to high school guidance departments. The handbook was funded by a government grant, causing significant controversy within media.

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1978- John Argue, a swimming instructor with the Toronto Board of Education, is fired from his job because he is gay. The Board of Education Committee rehires John a month later, overruling the Principals decision.

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1979- The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) includes “sexual orientation” in their anti-discrimination policies.

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1980- OSSTF amends its policies on sexual orientation. The policy protects members from discrimination on salary, promotion, tenure and fringe benefits. These changes helped to create current policies such as the Statement of Ethics, Equity Statement and Anti-Harassment Policy.

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1985- The City of Toronto School Board implements one of Canada’s first programs that target gay discrimination and violence in schools. This initiative was introduced after a secondary school teacher/librarian was murdered in High Park (Toronto) by five teenage boys.

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1990- The Toronto Board of Education forms a group for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual employees.

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1991- The Toronto Coalition for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth is formed. This network consists of social service workers, health care providers, educators, youth, parents and activists.

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1993- Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia (TEACH) is created. This group provides peer-led workshops on anti-homophobia to schools and other community spaces.

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1996- The Triangle Program is launched in the Toronto District School Board. This initiative is Canada’s first alternative high school program for at-risk 2SLGBTQIA+ students.

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1997- A teacher at St. Elizabeth’s High School in Thornhill is fired from the York Region Catholic Board for being gay. The school community organizes an anti-discrimination rally in opposition of the Boards decision. 

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2000- The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) creates a new provincial LGBT Standing Committee.

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2002- The Courts order Durham Catholic School Board to allow Marc Hall, a senior student, to bring his boyfriend to prom.

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2002- The Canadian Teacher’s Federation (CTF) starts creating materials for educators with Seeing the Rainbow. This is co-produced with the ETFO. The materials are used to educate teachers, administration and counselors on the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ students.

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2002- The Supreme Court of Canada rules in favour of a Kindergarten teacher who advocates to share children’s books that depict same gender families in his classroom (British Columbia). The “Court ruling emphasizes the responsibility of School Boards to carry out its public duty in accordance with secular and non-secular principles, which includes a responsibility to avoid making policy decisions based on the grounds of exclusionary beliefs”.

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2008- Sunnyside Public School in Kitchener starts the first GSA at an elementary level.  The club paves way for more GSA inclusion for younger students.

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2011- Egale Canada releases its final report titled, Every Class in Every School: Final Report on the First National Climate Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools. The study outlines the effects of bullying and discrimination on 2SLGBTQIA+ students (and those with 2SLGBTQIA+ families).

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2012- Accepting Schools Act (Bill 13) is passed. The Bill mandates stronger and stricter responses to bullying in schools. It also states that “all publicly funded schools in Ontario must allow students to start a GSA if they want one”. 

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2014- CTF releases a resource titled Sexual and Gender Minorities in Canadian Education and Society 1969-2013: A National Handbook for K-12 Educators. The resource shares provincial and national gains of 2SLGBTQIA+ rights.

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2015- ETFO approves the organizations first Transgender Policy. This policy shares that “members who choose to transition or expresses the intent to transition at any time at their school/worksites will be supported by ETFO through the process”.

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2016- Human rights case against the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board reaches a decision. In 2012, a father claims that they are teaching false information based on his Greek Orthodox faith. He argues that the school should notify parents when they are teaching curriculum on diverse issues including 2SLGBTQIA+ topics. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice rejects the request sharing that by “allowing him to isolate his children from aspects of the curriculum, they would be conflicting with competing legislative mandate and Charter values favouring inclusivity, equality and multiculturalism”.

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