Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO) is the result of many people’s vision, hard work, and belief in the need to bring equitable health care to Ontario’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities.

We are grateful for the contribution of Rainbow Health Network (RHN), a vibrant network of volunteers from LGBTTQ communities in the greater Toronto area. RHN members, led by Nick Mulé, worked with us to develop the proposal for Rainbow Health Ontario and to bring it to the attention of the Ministry of Health.

Many other organizations and individuals across Ontario were also consulted during the developmental stages of this program. They sent us reports and research data and wrote over 40 letters of support. This long incubation process ensured that we heard from people who reflected the geographic and social diversity of Ontario and from a wide range of service providers.

We are especially grateful to the former Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the Hon. George Smitherman and his staff who met with us several times between 2005 and 2007 and helped us to align our ideas with Ministry strategies concerning access and equity for all Ontarians. We were delighted when Premier Dalton McGuinty announced in 2007 that Rainbow Health Ontario would receive funding and that it would be based at Sherbourne Health Centre.

Finally, we are proud to be supported by the current Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the Hon. David Caplan and by the ministry staff who are extremely helpful to us in our operations. This program places Ontario in a leadership position in Canada with respect to the advancement of accessible and equitable health services for the estimated one million LGBT people who reside here. 

Funding
This website has been generously funded by a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The views expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect those of the ministry. 

Website design and development
This website was designed and developed by Dimentians Inc., led by Andy Forest, Linda Nakanishi, Rob Neill and Randy Smith, and the content was written and collected by RHO staff members.

Photography and images
All images and photographs used on this website were created and/or are owned by Rainbow Health Ontario, or are used from the public domain sources, www.istockphoto.com and www.shutterstock.com. Photos owned by Rainbow Health Ontario may not be used without prior, written permission.

Last Updated: November 2008