CGI in Canada: Pride season celebrations

Pride season is a special time at CGI in Canada. It’s an opportunity to celebrate authenticity and our communities across our offices from coast to coast. Our culture of allyship and inclusion means that every CGI Partner has a place at the table, a belief we put into action through employee resource groups and community events that bring people together to connect, learn and celebrate. Groups from the Rainbow Alliance to Women of CGI Canada, Neurodiversity and R.E.A.C.H (Representation, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) play a vital role both locally and nationally. In this article, our CGI Partners share their experiences and Pride 2025 highlights, showing how we continue to build a workplace where everyone feels seen, heard and supported. 

Kevin Maisonville , a Director, Consulting-Expert on our business consulting team in Toronto, leads our 2SLGBTQIAP+ employee resource group, Rainbow Alliance, at the national level, and has been with CGI since he was 18. 

“CGI always had DEI culture as a priority, long before any of the official committees or conversations about DEI became a standard practice,” says Kevin. “That’s what made me want to be part of Rainbow Alliance. I want to give others the same opportunity I’ve always had here to truly be myself.” 

“A big part of Rainbow Alliance for me is the community building,” says Samantha Hotta , a Senior Consultant and Rainbow Alliance Co-Lead in Greater Toronto, who was inspired by Kevin to join. “Not everyone is confident in who they are, and I want to help create an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves in the workplace.” 

Pride season ’25! 

“Creating a work environment where everyone feels included and heard is very important to me,” says Arnaud Mangematin , Director, Consulting Services and Fierté Montréal CGI Project Lead. “This year, I got involved as a DEI representative at CGI to help organize Pride for all our Montréal business units.” Over 125 CGI Partners and allies in Montréal marched in the parade for the second time, which, for Arnaud, is “one of the highlights of 2025 for me, bringing together even more people than last year at the Pride parade under the CGI banner.” 

As Pride season draws to a close, we reflect on what has been a jam-packed year for CGI Pride in Canada. With events and activities happening coast to coast, from Victoria to Halifax, our CGI Partners celebrated our diversity, raised funds for partner organizations and continued to advocate and educate peers and allies. 

“CGI was a gold sponsor for the pride & remembrance run in Toronto again this year (our fourth time!),” Samantha tells us. “And every year, my favourite moment of the Pride season is standing in the crowd waiting for the run to start. My colleagues often describe me as unreasonably giddy, and it’s because I just soak in all of the joy, happiness and love around me.” 

CGI raised over $9,000 for The 519 , a community centre that provides services, space and leadership to the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community. 

“There’s so much more. Our CGI Partners in Halifax walked in the Halifax Pride Parade for their first time,” adds Kevin. “And there were several events for our western Canadian CGI Partners. In Victoria, for example, we even participated in The Big Gay Dog Walk—an event to remember!”   

“Authenticity at work is so important to me,” says Solène Binet , Consultant. “The fact that I can be completely myself at CGI has allowed me to participate in public and high-profile company events around sexual diversity and gender plurality. Without the safety I feel within my team, my business unit and even within CGI in general, I don’t think I would have had the courage to participate in all these events that highlight my queer identity.” 

Turning intent into action 

At CGI in Canada, Pride Season serves as a reminder of the important role our CGI Partners play in building an inclusive workplace. Through their leadership, allyship and everyday actions, CGI Partners foster safe and welcoming spaces where 2SLGBTQIAP+ employees and allies can thrive. Whether by championing initiatives, encouraging open dialogue or modelling respect in daily interactions, our CGI Partners ensure that inclusion is not just an organizational value, but a lived experience across our teams. Their dedication reflects the strength of CGI’s culture, as told best in their own words. “I’m really proud of our CGI Partner representatives from all over Canada and all the work they’re investing on a local and national level,” says Kevin. “I’m so proud of our work on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia; of the gender affirmation guide we built to support CGI Partners in their transition in the workplace and of our Transgender Awareness Week campaign.” 

“It’s about being the spokesperson for your colleagues’ challenges, and recognizing the discrimination that can occur in the workplace, even unintentionally,” says Solène. “Above all, it’s about lending your voice to help carry that of the community. That’s why employee resource groups like Rainbow Alliance are so important. We have the power to move the needle and change mindsets through education, awareness and representation of all communities at work, including ours.” 

“An easy way for everyone to show allyship for 2SLGBTQIAP+, in the workplace is to put your pronouns in your signature and start using pronouns more in introductions,” says Samantha. “It helps normalize it and makes people feel comfortable using their pronouns in the workplace.” 

She continues, “Also, I always advocate for myself and the community by trying to coach others if a harmful or prejudicial comment is made. It’s all part of fostering an environment where my peers feel safe to be their authentic selves in the workplace.” 

Creating a work environment where everyone can be seen and heard for who they are, in addition to what they do, is at the heart of CGI in Canada. It’s affirming to witness the many ways our CGI Partners come together not only within their own communities, but in such fervent support of others too. 

“We’ve used the last several years to really focus on driving our R.E.A.C.H groups, focusing on women, on neurodiversity, on various ethnicities, on 2SLGBTQIAP+ communities and so on,” explains Kevin. “And now we’re working together at the leadership level to brainstorm and find solutions to bring all of those different groups together around overlapping interests, events, and coordinated discussion points.” 

He concludes, “Allyship is a crucial element of CGI’s culture, where everyone has the space and voice to be themselves. Something like that makes a very big difference to all of us, no matter who we are and what communities we identify with.”