LGBT+ Rights Index in Canada
Canada: LGBT+ Rights Index was 17.18 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LGBT+ Rights Index in Canada, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lgbt+ rights index in Canada is 17.18, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 52.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Canada peaked at 17.32 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.7274, in 1991.
That places Canada 7th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
LGBT+ Rights Index in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0.7274 | — |
| 1992 | 1.76 | +142.1% |
| 1993 | 1.82 | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 1.83 | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 3.71 | +102.7% |
| 1996 | 4.2 | +13.1% |
| 1997 | 4.2 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4.77 | +13.7% |
| 1999 | 5.4 | +13.2% |
| 2000 | 4.97 | -7.9% |
| 2001 | 5 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 6.15 | +22.8% |
| 2003 | 6.93 | +12.7% |
| 2004 | 8.05 | +16.2% |
| 2005 | 7.4 | -8.1% |
| 2006 | 7.46 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.54 | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 7.55 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 7.55 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 7.55 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8.57 | +13.6% |
| 2012 | 9.77 | +13.9% |
| 2013 | 10.49 | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 10.87 | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 11.29 | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 12.11 | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 13.91 | +14.9% |
| 2018 | 14.09 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 14.91 | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 15.08 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 15.48 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 17.23 | +11.3% |
| 2023 | 17.32 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 17.18 | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 17.18 | +0.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 17.18 is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.11, 1.7× the median. (64 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where LGBT+ Rights Index in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +142.1% | 0.7274 | 1.76 |
| 1995 | +102.7% | 1.83 | 3.71 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.16 | 0.7274 | 5.4 | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.86 | 4.97 | 8.05 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.36 | 7.55 | 14.91 | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.58 | 15.08 | 17.32 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More social development data for Canada
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 416,028 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 360 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 360 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.01 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lgbt+ rights index in Canada?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Canada was 17.18 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 17.32 in 2023.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7274 in 1991.
- How does Canada rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Canada ranks 7th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Summary measure of a country's LGBTI-related laws, calculated by subtracting the sum of its regressive policy scores from the sum of its progressive policy scores.