Walking around Kingston, you may spot rainbow-shaped decals on businesses’ windows. These decals are evidence of the businesses’ commitment to setting strict standards to ensure all members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community feel welcomed and accepted. They are Rainbow Registered, an accreditation program initiated by the CGLCC, Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce.
To become Rainbow Registered and receive the decal, businesses must go through an accreditation process which involves an application, assessment, and final report. Successful applicants will then receive the rainbow-shaped decal and begin paying an annual fee.
The accreditation is valid for three years, at which point the business needs to go through the process again to maintain their Rainbow Registered status.
These Kingston establishments went through the multi-step process to become Rainbow Registered and shared what the accreditation means to them. For a full list of Rainbow Registered businesses and organizations in Kingston, check out our Rainbow Registered guide.
270 Bagot Street
When Kingston Gaming Nexus opened its doors at its original location on Wellington Street in 1999, owner Michael Wibberley committed himself to fostering a welcoming environment for all gamers.
He learned about queer issues from employees who are members of the community. He hosts monthly 2SLGBTQI+ board game nights. He placed comics and games made by queer authors at the front and centre of his store, hoping that customers within and outside the community would engage with the material.
“[Those comics and games] are for everyone. We don’t just want 2SLGBTQI+ people to read them. We want the people who need to be educated to read them,” Wibberley says in an interview.
When a 2SLGBTQI+ staff member approached Wibberley about the Rainbow Registered accreditation, he saw it as a way to reinforce Kingston Gaming Nexus’s commitment to supporting the community.
“It’s a statement of intent. If you come into the store, you will not be judged, no matter who you are. People are just people,” Wibberley says. “The store’s tagline is ‘The only thing we don’t tolerate is intolerance.’”
For Wibberley, embodying what the decal represents involves listening to the needs of their diverse customer base, including 2SLGBTQI+ members, and adapting their business to make them feel comfortable. He recently started selling pronoun buttons and encourages staff to use they/them when greeting customers.
Kingston Gaming Nexus is hosting a queer board game night on June 26 from 6 to 9 pm and pride-themed trading card events on June 20, 5–9 pm and June 27, 6–9 pm.
787 Blackburn Mews
Over the past 13 years, this spa in Kingston’s west end has created a welcoming, affirming environment for all clients and staff.
Their gender-neutral booking forms, inclusive language training, and staff talks with members of the trans community are just some of the reasons why Cher-Mère was granted their Rainbow Registered accreditation.
“We don’t just talk about inclusivity in June. It’s something we live every day,” says Cher-Mère general manager Emily Roantree.
Roantree describes a time when a member of the trans community approached Cher-Mère at the Brock Street Block Party where partial proceeds went to TransFamily Kingston and asked if they provide services to 2SLGBTQI+ members. Spa owner Aba Mortley’s answer was simple.
“She responded by saying, “Of course we do. Of course we’ll take care of you,” says Roantree.
For Pride Month, the spa is donating a portion of their earnings to TransFamily Kingston, which provides drop-in programming and community events for trans and gender-diverse children in the city. Every month, the spa picks a charity to donate to, demonstrating their commitment to fostering inclusivity in Kingston. They’re also donating a portion of their proceeds this month to Kingston Native Centre & Language Nest to celebrate Indigenous History Month.
Keep an eye on their social media accounts (chermere_spa) for a video featuring local community members answering the question, “What does Pride mean to you?”
221 Queen Street
This modern hotel, housed in a former church, became Rainbow Registered shortly after opening its doors in 2022.
The hotel offers a unique experience by operating without a traditional front desk. Still, the team wants to ensure that if any guests ever need to reach out, they feel safe, respected, and valued, no matter their sexual orientation, says Allyson Tonelli, the hotel’s director of sales and partnerships.
“And we at The Smith Hotel do a yearly meeting where we go over all of the things that we've learned through the process and make sure that our staff... are aware of the program,” says Tonelli.
Their newly opened sister property, Belvedere Hotel, will also be going through the process of Rainbow Registry.
To celebrate Pride, The Smith donates $5 per room night to Kingston Pride and matches the total donation. They also host performers brought in for the parade, offering welcome gifts and messages to make them feel at home during their stay.
