Project ACE Phase One Community Report (Contextual Assessment)
The Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment (ACE) Project is a multi-site Canadian initiative focused on reducing HIV-related stigma—especially in racialized, immigrant, and newcomer communities.
The Phase One Community Report shares what we heard from community members living with or affected by HIV, and from service providers working across HIV, health, settlement, and social services. Phase One engaged 97 participants across six Canadian cities (Calgary, Edmonton, the Greater Toronto Area, London, Niagara, and Ottawa) through 11 focus groups, alongside 18 community organizations that completed baseline surveys.
What this report highlights
Despite major advances in HIV prevention and treatment, HIV-related stigma remains widespread and harmful. Systems and institutions often reinforce stigma, influencing whether people seek testing, access care, disclose their status, and feel safe within families, workplaces, and communities. Stigma also has serious mental health consequences. Participants emphasized that stigma cannot be addressed by individuals or communities alone—meaningful progress requires coordinated, systemic action.
Moving forward: four priority directions
The report identifies a practical roadmap for stigma reduction, including:
- Dedicated, stable, long-term funding for stigma reduction, education, and community capacity-building
- Widespread, accessible HIV education and training across healthcare, settlement, social services, schools, and the broader public
- Embedding HIV education and services within routine healthcare and everyday community settings to normalize HIV and reduce barriers
- Cross-sector collaboration so people don’t fall through gaps between services
Read the full report:
Download / view (PDF): Project ACE Phase One Community Report