Year in review

During the past financial year (April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025), Trans Care BC continued to work alongside our many partners to support and help improve gender-affirming care Processes through which a health care system cares for and supports an individual while recognizing and acknowledging their gender and expression. for trans, Two-Spirit A term used within some Indigenous communities to reflect complex Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality and the long history of sexual and gender diversity in Indigenous cultures. Two-Spirit encompasses sexual, gender, cultural and spiritual identity. It may refer to cross-gender, multi-gender or non-binary gender roles, non-heterosexual identities, and a range of cultural identities, roles and practices embodied by Two-Spirit peoples. Some people also use "2-Spirit" or "2S." (Source: Battered Women’s Support Services) , and gender-diverse people in British Columbia. 

With its partners, Trans Care BC led both exciting and challenging work. Several impactful resources were launched – most notably our newly redesigned, comprehensive, and easy-to-navigate website – as well as a new learning management system accessible through our Education Centre. 

As we look back on the past year, we share highlights of the work accomplished by our team alongside our partners. We thank all of those involved for the ways you have supported this work and continued providing excellent care and support.

Program highlights

Advancing community supports and access

Health Navigators

Trans Care BC’s health navigators continued to act as a resource for trans, Two-Spirit A term used within some Indigenous communities to reflect complex Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality and the long history of sexual and gender diversity in Indigenous cultures. Two-Spirit encompasses sexual, gender, cultural and spiritual identity. It may refer to cross-gender, multi-gender or non-binary gender roles, non-heterosexual identities, and a range of cultural identities, roles and practices embodied by Two-Spirit peoples. Some people also use "2-Spirit" or "2S." (Source: Battered Women’s Support Services) and non-binary Umbrella term referring to people whose gender does not fall within the binary gender system of woman/girl or man/boy. Some individuals identify as non-binary while others may use terms such as gender non-conforming, genderqueer, or agender. Non-binary people may or may not conform to societal expectations for their gender expression and gender role, and they may or may not seek gender-affirming medical or surgical care. people, family members, loved ones and care providers seeking information about care options and with questions about gender-affirming care Processes through which a health care system cares for and supports an individual while recognizing and acknowledging their gender and expression. in BC.

As more clients were able to independently access the information they needed through our newly redesigned website and partner resources, health navigators were better positioned to focus their time and expertise on individuals with complex questions, or those who required more direct support. The introduction of robust “self-serve” features on the new Trans Care BC website, along with enhanced peer education, engagement, and service pathway development, led to a significant streamlining of the client experience with health navigators: 6,045 requests for support were logged in 2023, while 4,347 were recorded in 2024, as clients more quickly found what they were looking for online.

Peer Support Directory

To help those looking for local community support groups and resources, the online Peer Support Directory was reviewed and refreshed. The directory holds 110 listings for peer support initiatives across BC and can be filtered according to format, region and audience.

Community Grants

Trans Care BC provided 35 community grants to mental health and well-being projects in 2024-2025. In many cases, these grants facilitated significant in-kind support from host agencies.

Provincial Network Calls

Trans Care BC hosted quarterly Provincial Network Calls with funded projects who understand local community needs best. In February 2025, the program began piloting information sessions on health care navigation to increase capacity of funded groups to support clients in their own communities.

Expanding education and resources for gender-affirming care

Trans Care BC continued to improve the quality of the patient journey by improving the ways we teach and train. Team members supported health care providers to ensure that care is holistic and individualized according to each patient’s goals, such as during transition-related medical care.

Highlights

Here are a few highlights from the past year, which emphasized ways to improve educational resources for our learning communities:

Advancing surgical access 

While supporting those seeking services to navigate care, Trans Care BC continued to collaborate to grow health system capacity: 

• Trans Care BC continued to administer a provincial Upper Surgery Central Waitlist for gender-affirming breast and chest surgery in BC. The role of this centralized waitlist is to promote equity through a streamlined and standardized process. Health navigators provide up-to-date information about surgeon options to support trans, Two-Spirit A term used within some Indigenous communities to reflect complex Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality and the long history of sexual and gender diversity in Indigenous cultures. Two-Spirit encompasses sexual, gender, cultural and spiritual identity. It may refer to cross-gender, multi-gender or non-binary gender roles, non-heterosexual identities, and a range of cultural identities, roles and practices embodied by Two-Spirit peoples. Some people also use "2-Spirit" or "2S." (Source: Battered Women’s Support Services) and non-binary Umbrella term referring to people whose gender does not fall within the binary gender system of woman/girl or man/boy. Some individuals identify as non-binary while others may use terms such as gender non-conforming, genderqueer, or agender. Non-binary people may or may not conform to societal expectations for their gender expression and gender role, and they may or may not seek gender-affirming medical or surgical care. people in their decision making for their surgeon options and to help set expectations around their referral process along the way.
• Over the last year, Trans Care BC supported an increase in pre-approved hair removal providers to include both laser and electrolysis in the province. This increased from 11 providers in 2022 to 29 providers in 2025. TCBC played an active role in onboarding, contracting, and supporting ongoing quality improvement work with these providers who are often new to working with trans patients and new to surgical preparation hair removal.
• In 2024-25 there were 592 upper surgeries completed, with 90.8% of patients receiving their surgery within 26 weeks of their booking form being received by a health authority. 26 weeks is the current benchmark target for upper surgeries in BC. 1

Research and partnership highlights 

Trans Care BC engaged in several key partnerships and initiatives, as part of ongoing efforts to improve access to gender-affirming care Processes through which a health care system cares for and supports an individual while recognizing and acknowledging their gender and expression. and support for trans and gender-diverse communities:

• Partnered with the UBC Trans Youth Health Survey to promote the initiative and gain insights directly from trans and gender-diverse youth.
• Supported the Surrey North-Delta Division of Family Practice Gender Affirming Care Shared Care Project, including a three-part education series for Family Physicians and Nurse Practitioners, and the development of various resources.
• Collaborated with Island Health Authority and the University of Victoria on the 2SLGBTQIA+ Liaison Nurse Project.
• Partnered with the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences on a project with the First Nations Health Authority Benefits Program to explore and address pharmacist-related barriers in accessing gender-affirming products.