About MAX Ottawa

max's work

Since 2002, we’ve been dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the National Capital Region. Our work is rooted in lived experience and carried out in two key ways:

With individuals: providing education, peer support, and harm reduction tools that empower people to make choices that work for their lives.
With systems and providers: working alongside healthcare and social service partners to improve the quality, inclusivity, and accessibility of care across the city.

what we do

Today, MAX offers a wide range of programs and services:

Health navigation: connecting community members to affirming therapists, doctors, clinics, and community-based services, while helping people overcome barriers to care.
Community connection: psychosocial support groups that reduce isolation and create space for shared conversations on health and identity.
Tea2Go: Distribution of free safer sex, substance use, and HRT supplies across the region. Our evidence-based approach helps community members take a proactive role in their own health.
Education and training: resources and consulting for service providers to strengthen their capacity for inclusive, affirming, and culturally competent care.

Our Mission

We enhance the quality of life of the people we serve and break down barriers to health and wellbeing.

Our Vision

A community where queer, trans, and non-binary people live full and healthy lives—free from stigma and discrimination—with equitable access to the services and supports they need.

Our History

MAX began in 2002 as the Ottawa Gay Men’s Wellness Initiative (OGMWI), fuelled by passionate advocates committed to a holistic approach to gay men’s health. Early successes included the creation of Gay Zone in 2008, a collaborative sexual health clinic and community space run with Ottawa Public Health, Centretown Community Health Centre, Somerset West Community Health Centre, the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and others.

In 2016, the organization hired its first staff members, rebranded as MAX Ottawa in 2017, and achieved registered charity status in 2018.

In 2020, MAX launched substance use harm reduction services, including Tea2Go, our safer use and safer sex supply distribution program. Since then, we’ve expanded programming to support sex workers, newcomers, older gay men, and a growing range of queer, trans, and non-binary communities.

More than two decades later, MAX remains a trusted leader in queer health—working to build inclusive, evidence-based, and community-driven pathways to wellness.

Strategic Direction

With our new Strategic Plan as our guide, we’re embracing priorities that will strengthen MAX’s ability to meet our community’s needs, amplify our impact, and build a foundation for long-term success. These commitments will help us do our work better, reach further, and create lasting change. Our four key strategic priorities include:

Improving our services
Increasing our vulnerability
Inspiring our people
Improving our funding

Get more familiar with MAX’s Strategic Plan:

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ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2024

Our 2023–2024 Annual Report reflects a pivotal chapter for MAX: a time of growth, learning, and renewed focus. Inside, you’ll find stories of impact, the voices of our community, and a look at how we’ve laid the groundwork for our ongoing projects. It’s more than a record of the past year — it’s a celebration of the progress we’ve made together and a glimpse at the future we’re building.

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RETROSPECTIVE 2019-2022

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Our Team

Our team is made up of passionate and engaged community members who are dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of our friends, family, lovers, and neighbours.

STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF