Celebrating Pride Month: Fostering belonging in construction and beyond
Pride Month in Nova Scotia – building inclusive workplaces
June is Pride Month in Canada—a time to celebrate the resilience, creativity, and contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across the country. In Nova Scotia, Pride is a call to recognize diversity and create safer, more inclusive spaces in all aspects of life, including the construction industry.
At its core, Pride is about visibility, dignity, and the right to belong. These principles matter on job sites, in boardrooms, and in every workplace. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and supported at work — regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
2SLGBTQIA+ representation in construction
Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community have always been part of construction — from skilled trades and engineering to project coordination and leadership. Yet many still face challenges related to harassment, discrimination, or being forced to hide who they are at work.
Creating inclusive workplaces isn’t just the right thing to do — it also builds stronger teams, improves recruitment and retention, and reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
What inclusion looks like on the job site
As we mark Pride Month, here are some ways Nova Scotia’s construction community can support 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion:
- Ensure policies and practices reflect equity and respect, including clear anti-harassment procedures.
- Provide diversity and inclusion training that addresses real-world scenarios and unconscious bias.
- Support inclusive hiring and promotion practices, especially for underrepresented groups.
- Display visible signs of support, such as Pride flags or inclusive posters on worksites.
- Create space for dialogue and allyship, including listening to 2SLGBTQIA+ workers.
Building together
As Nova Scotia continues to grow — with new housing, infrastructure, and development projects across the province — there’s an opportunity to build more than structures. We can also build a culture of inclusion, fairness, and pride.
This June, and throughout the year, let’s continue the work of making construction a welcoming space for everyone. Inclusion leads to innovation. Respect leads to results. And belonging builds better outcomes—for everyone.