Each month, we profile someone connected to CBRC, featuring them in The Update, our monthly newsletter. Check out the August 2026 newsletter here.
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Spencer Belanger (he/she/they) is the Prairies Regional Manager at CBRC, where they oversee an array of projects responding to STBBIs in 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities across the region. Currently, Spencer is traveling across Alberta to bring our latest resources on syphilis to local Pride celebrations.
Syphilis and congenital syphilis rates in Alberta were at their highest in 2019. Though rates have gone down in years since, syphilis remains at outbreak level in the province, still disproportionately affecting gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men. Syphilis is also often called “the great imitator” because its symptoms can present as a wide range of medical conditions.
“These resources provide folks with the tools, skills, and knowledge to identify potential symptoms, how to access treatment, and preventative measures, like taking doxycycline as a form of post-exposure prophylaxis,” Spencer explains. Apart from information, the resources also aim to offer readers a framework for self-advocacy. “Dealing with something like syphilis can be daunting. When we empower people with information and tools to identify risks, they can take ownership of their health and peace of mind,” they say.
In June, Spencer attended Lethbridge Pride, distributing the syphilis resources to other attendees. “It's really powerful to be connected with community members one-on-one and have gentle, honest conversations together. So much care and intention was put into the development of these resources by my colleagues who care deeply about the health and wellbeing of 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities. It’s so exciting to not only share our team’s hard work, but to also see the resources resonate with people and encourage them to take charge of their health. The resources are written in accessible language and feature a playful, colourful design” they share. “Doing the rounds at Lethbridge Pride, I also met other service providers who were really excited to take our resources and stock them in their offices, hand them out to their patients and clients, or share them with friends.”
Reflecting on the unique social and healthcare landscape of the Prairies, especially for 2S/LGBTQIA+ people, Spencer says that these provinces tend to have high rates of HIV and STBBIs, and that community-based organizations are also working with more right-leaning, conservative governments in Alberta and Saskatchewan. What’s more is that the Prairie provinces — Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba — tend to lack infrastructure that most urban areas (like Toronto and Vancouver) have in terms of testing, treatment, and resourcing community-based organizations.
“Our work has never been more important in terms of bridging knowledge gaps in this deeply polarized and divisive state we’re currently in,” they say. “We live in an era of increasing misinformation and disinformation. In the province of Alberta, it's often coming directly from our own provincial government. When we mobilize evidence-based, community-based, factual information, it's such a powerful form of activism in the face of violent conservatism that hopes to see us erased from participating in public spheres and leading happy, fulfilling, and healthy lives. Two-Spirit, queer, and trans people are taking charge of their health and it has been a privilege and an honour for me to play a role in helping make that happen.”
Spencer will be at Edmonton Pride (August 21-23) and Calgary Pride (August 21-September 6) distributing the resources, which you can view at cbrc.net/absyphilis. For further information, you can read our press release.
Photo: Spencer Belanger
"What we’ve seen historically for a wide range of health issues that impact Two-Spirit, queer, and trans communities is that we ourselves are often the ones who have to mobilize. We have to gather and present information to health authorities and governments. We have to make a case for our own wellbeing."
