ABRPO

ABRPO supports ASOs and harm reduction programs by offering impact debriefs, grief circles, peer networking, and online learning opportunities.

Visit our website to learn more. Funded by the Ministry of Health. Explore our Resources: https://linktr.ee/ab

04/28/2026

The inaugural Workers’ Memorial Day was held in Great Sudbury, Ontario, on April 28, 1984. The date was chosen to mark the 70th anniversary of the third reading of the Workers’ Compensation Act — the first Canadian statute to recognize that some level of workplace injury is inevitable and that workers deserve compensation without regard to fault.

Workers’ Memorial Day stands as a solemn reminder of those who have been injured, made ill, or lost their lives due to workplace incidents, and reinforces our collective responsibility to make workplaces safer for everyone.

Across the country, workers and employers mark the day by wearing black armbands or ribbons, lighting candles, and holding memorial services in remembrance of colleagues who have been killed or injured on the job.

The day serves not only as a time of reflection, but also as a renewed commitment to ensuring safer workplaces for all.

04/27/2026

“What if I cannot give consent to my own death, whose body is this? Who owns my life?” — Sue Rodriguez

Her fight, while living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, helped shape the path toward MAiD in Canada.

Join Craig and Aara on May 20 to learn about ABRPO’s new MAiD resource and how we can walk alongside those we care for with compassion, dignity, and respect.

04/24/2026

World Immunization Week is observed annually during the last week of April and serves as a global reminder of the power of vaccines to save lives and protect communities.

While vaccines have eliminated or reduced many infectious diseases, barriers to access still prevent children and adults from receiving essential immunizations—leaving people at increased risk of preventable illness. In the context of HIV, immunization is especially critical. People living with HIV may be more vulnerable to serious complications from vaccine-preventable diseases, making timely and equitable access to vaccines a vital part of comprehensive HIV care and prevention.

This week calls on governments, health systems, and communities to remove barriers to immunization, combat misinformation, and ensure that people living with or at risk of HIV can access the vaccines they need—without stigma or discrimination. Protecting community health means protecting everyone. When we strengthen immunization efforts for those most impacted, we move closer to a future where no one is left behind.

04/21/2026

Le***an Visibility Week celebrates the lives, histories, and contributions of Le***an around the world. It is a day to uplift Le***an voices and challenge the discrimination and erasure that many still face.

Since its beginning in 2008, the day has grown globally, including here in Canada, where Le***ans, allies, friends, and families come together to celebrate visibility, resilience, and community.

We also honour the Le***ans who, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, cared for those who were sick and dying when many families, institutions, and communities turned away. Their compassion, courage, and solidarity remain a powerful part of our shared history.

Today—and every day—we recognize the strength, leadership, and impact of Le***an in building a more inclusive communities.

04/20/2026

Canada has long benefited from a strong and resilient volunteer sector, with people across the country stepping up to support their communities in countless ways.

While that commitment continues, the sector is under strain. Declining volunteer participation, recruitment and retention challenges, and growing demand for services have increased vulnerability for many people in Canada. Volunteer organizations are doing more with less—often without the supports needed to fully engage volunteers or remove barriers to participation.

At a time of rising living costs, an aging population, post-pandemic impacts, growing loneliness, and the climate crisis, revitalizing volunteerism in Canada has never been more urgent.

This week and every week, we at ABRPO celebrate our volunteers and the incredible work you do across the province. Your impact reaches far beyond your local agencies—to every person and community you support.

04/17/2026

April 18 marks the observance of National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD). NTHTD recognizes the importance of routine HIV testing, status awareness, and a continued focus on HIV prevention and treatment efforts among Transgender and gender Non-Binary people. The initiative encourages community-based organizations, health jurisdictions, and HIV prevention programs to host local Trans-inclusive HIV testing events and to develop trans-specific HIV testing campaigns, materials, and resources.

04/16/2026

On April 17, the global community will come together for World Hemophilia Day 🩸

This year’s theme, “Diagnosis: First Step to Care,” reminds us that diagnosis is the gateway to treatment, support, and improved quality of life.

The World Federation of Hemophilia estimates that over 75% of people living with hemophilia worldwide remain undiagnosed—and the gap is even greater for other bleeding disorders.

Hemophilia is also an often invisible part of the HIV community. Many people with hemophilia were historically impacted through contaminated blood products, and their stories, experiences, and ongoing care needs continue to be overlooked.

That means hundreds of thousands of people are still without access to basic care.

We can change this.

By strengthening healthcare knowledge and improving diagnostic capacity, we can ensure more people are identified, supported, and cared for—and that no one’s experience remains unseen.

04/13/2026

These past few months have been heavy for so many of us. The news of the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) closing its doors after more than 40 years of care, advocacy, and community has been deeply felt. At the same time, the closure of eight more Safe Consumption Sites across the province, along with ongoing funding cuts, leaves many of us asking difficult questions about how we continue to show up for Peers and for each other.

There is grief here. There is uncertainty. And for many, there is also exhaustion.

Aara and Craig want to gently hold space for Peers and workers to come together during this time - to speak openly about what’s weighing on us, to share how we are being impacted, and to remind one another that we are not alone in this.

This is a space for honesty, for connection, and for care. A space where we can lean on each other, reflect together, and find strength in community as we navigate what comes next. The true core values of TTOA - Turning To One Another.

To registers Peers, yourself or other workers in your agency please email Craig at CraigBoucher@abrpo.org.

04/10/2026

National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day is observed annually on April 10. The day aims to raise awareness, spark conversations, and spotlight the important work being done to reduce HIV and AIDS among young people. This day is especially significant, as HIV among youth remains a far greater issue than many realize. According to the most recent HIV statistics, in 2024, 9.6% of all new HIV diagnoses in Canada were among youth aged 0–24. It is therefore critical to elevate young voices and support peer-to-peer education as powerful tools in the fight against the AIDS epidemic. This is not solely a government responsibility—each of us has a role to play in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and saving lives.

04/07/2026

The theme for World Health Day 2026, “Global Action for Universal Health Coverage,” underscores the urgent need to ensure that everyone—regardless of gender, race, income, or health status—can access essential health services, including prevention, treatment, and palliative care, without facing financial hardship or exclusion. Yet we know this promise is not always realized, even here in Canada.

Rising HIV rates across the country highlight how far we still are from achieving this goal. Canada now reports higher HIV rates than any other G7 nation—a stark reminder that the AIDS crisis is not behind us. In 2020, there were 1,322 newly diagnosed HIV cases; by 2023, that number had risen to 2,434, representing an 84% increase. The highest rates of new transmission were recorded in Saskatchewan (19.4%) and Manitoba (19.3%), while the three territories reported the lowest rates (2.2%) (PHAC).

Patterns of HIV transmission are also shifting. In 2023, heteros*xual contact accounted for 39.4% of newly diagnosed cases, surpassing men-to-men s*xual contact at 36%. This marked the first time in Canadian HIV history that men-to-men contact was not the leading mode of transmission—underscoring the need for broader, more inclusive, and equity-driven approaches to HIV prevention, testing, and care.

World Health Day 2026 calls on us to move beyond commitments and toward action. Achieving universal health coverage in Canada means confronting the systemic barriers that continue to place communities at greater risk—stigma, racism, criminalization, poverty, and gaps in access to prevention, testing, treatment, and care. Ending the HIV epidemic will require sustained investment in harm reduction, culturally safe and community-led services, and policies that centre equity, dignity, and human rights. Universal health coverage is not truly universal until everyone—especially those most impacted—can access the care they need, when they need it, without fear, judgment, or financial burden.

04/03/2026

April showers don’t just bring May flowers—they also create the perfect conditions for rainbows. That’s likely why April 3rd is recognized as National Find a Rainbow Day, a day that encourages everyone to step outside and look for a little colour and hope in the sky.

Within the 2SLGBTQ+ community, the rainbow holds deep meaning. The rainbow flag is an enduring symbol of our strength, resilience, and pride. First created in 1978, the original Pride flag featured eight colours, each with its own meaning: hot pink for s*x, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit.

Over time, the Pride flag has evolved to better reflect the diversity and lived experiences within our community. Today’s Progress Pride flag includes black and brown stripes to represent Black and racialized communities and those impacted by HIV; pink, baby blue, and white to honour Trans communities; and a yellow triangle with a purple circle to recognize inters*x people. Together, these colours represent unity, inclusion, and the ongoing work toward equity and visibility for all.

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Sherbourne Street
Toronto, ON
M4X1K9

Website

https://abrpo.org/

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3080 Yonge Street Suite 5034
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