Pink Triangle Press launches Canada Media Fund-supported national training initiative with leading industry partners to advance 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion across Canada's screen sector
TORONTO, June 18, 2026 /CNW/ - Pink Triangle Press (PTP) launched a national initiative, under the name of Pride in Production, aimed at helping unlock creativity and innovation by fostering more supportive environments for 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals across Canada's film, television, streaming and gaming sectors. Supported by the Canada Media Fund, the 2SLGBTQIA+ Allyship Skills for Screen Professionals delivers research-informed training and resources to screen industry organizations designed to help create safer, more inclusive work environments. The initiative launches as Canadians celebrate Pride Month.
PTP has created the training alongside the support of an influential group of industry leaders who have helped inform the development of sector-specific training and resources designed to support more inclusive and creative environments across Canada's screen sector. Developed in collaboration with industry stakeholders and informed by national research into 2SLGBTQIA+ workplace experiences across the screen industry, the program is available free to screen industry organizations across Canada. Early industry supporters of the initiative include:
- Jessica Lea Fleming, Director, Industry Development, Canada Media Fund
- Joy Loewen, Vice President, Industry Development, Canada Media Fund
- Lori Fischburg, Head of Production and Producer, Accent Aigu Entertainment
- Paige Haight, Director of Television, Shaftesbury
- Stuart Coxe, CEO, Antica Productions
- Julie Bristow, CEO and Founder, Catalyst
- Allison Brough, SVP, Unscripted, Blink49
- Kate Alexander Daniels, Producer and Host, Mothership Meals, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
- Katie Lafferty, Head of Entertainment, Makers
- Alexandrine Torres de Figueiredo, Senior Manager, Business Affairs & Production Financing, Canadian Media Producers Association
- Katy Harding, Executive Producer
- Alexander Nunez, Actor and Writer
The initiative is rooted in findings from PTP's 2024 Pink Paper, one of the most comprehensive national studies of 2SLGBTQIA+ representation and workplace conditions across Canada's screen industries, with training further informed by subsequent research conducted by EKOS, Strategic Inc. and Alex Custodio Consulting. First presented at the Banff World Media Festival in June 2024, the study found that while 93 per cent of industry professionals say 2SLGBTQIA+ representation is important, only 41 per cent believe Canadian media workplaces are inclusive for 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals, with trans respondents reporting feeling the least safe, underscoring the need for targeted action to improve workplace culture across the sector.
"Our Pink Paper research showed strong industry support for 2SGLBTQIA+ representation within content and a good understanding of why this matters societally. It also highlighted significant gaps regarding lived experiences in Canadian screen industry workplaces," says David Walberg, CEO of Pink Triangle Press. "Working with industry partners, with their strong commitment, and with the support of the Canada Media Fund, we are pleased to share new tools to support closing the gap and ensuring that 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals feel supported, respected and safe in their day-to-day work."
Through the initiative, Pink Triangle Press has worked with AlexiMK Consulting to develop a series of sector-specific training materials informed by research and industry input, alongside facilitated sessions designed to address workplace inclusion, safety and culture. Hosted by actors Kathleen Munroe and Mariah Inger, the training consists of six 30-minute modules focused on practical 2SLGBTQIA+ allyship skills, including foundational inclusion language, intersectionality, workplace advocacy, leadership and respectful workplace practices.
"Creating 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive workplaces isn't just about fairness -- it helps Canada's screen industries do their best work," said Mathieu Chantelois, Executive Vice President of Communications, Strategy and Public Affairs at the Canada Media Fund. "When people feel comfortable being themselves at work, it leads to more creativity, and stronger stories. This toolkit is a useful resource to help make that happen."
By working collaboratively with partners across the industry, the program aims to foster environments where 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals can contribute fully and where diverse stories can be developed and brought to screen. The English-language version of the training is currently available, with a French-language curriculum set to launch in July 2026.
Organizations and individuals interested in learning more or obtaining the curriculum can visit www.pinktrianglepress.com/pride-in-production.
About Pink Triangle Press
Founded in 1971, Pink Triangle Press produces 2SLGBTQIA+ journalism at Xtra Magazine and through a variety of content distribution channels in Canada and abroad. The Press also operates travel site Pink Ticket Travel, a gay adult dating website, and has produced a number of television projects. The organization began as a gay liberation newspaper, The Body Politic, named by Masthead Magazine as one of "Canada's 20 most influential magazines of all time."
About the Canada Media Fund
Supported by the Government of Canada and Canada's cable, satellite, and IPTV distributors, the Canada Media Fund (CMF) is a not-for-profit organization that invests in Canadian creators and companies to tell stories that reflect and connect us all. We fund audiovisual and interactive digital media content--across all platforms--that builds a stronger cultural identity at home and on the world stage. The CMF puts stories front and centre, opening pathways to domestic and global markets and promoting a screen-based sector that is more resilient, more inclusive, and fuelled for growth. Visit our website to learn more about what we do.
SOURCE Pink Triangle Press
Media Contact: Tamara Jefak, Touchwood PR, [email protected]
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