BC Politics · Education source check

Did B.C. defund SOGI 123? What the ConservativeBC post gets right — and what remains unproven

A Facebook graphic says “SOGI 123 DEFUNDED.” NewsForBC found a real government web-page change and a real political fight — but not a public record proving SOGI 123 is gone everywhere.

Read source note and preserved files

Verdict

Partly true / overstated. The claim is true in the sense that ConservativeBC publicly made it and B.C.’s old SOGI page now sends visitors to a broader Diversity and inclusion page. But NewsForBC did not find an official notice saying all SOGI 123 supports, policies or district-level resources have been abolished province-wide.

What official pages show

The old B.C. government SOGI page says the page has moved and directs readers to the Diversity and inclusion page. That newer page talks about safe, caring and inclusive schools and says everyone should feel welcome regardless of race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or ability.

Government-hosted SOGI-related PDF resources were still accessible during this review, including a SOGI resource guide and a policy guide. That weakens the simple reading that SOGI has disappeared from B.C.’s public-education record.

A short history of SOGI 123 in B.C.

SOGI stands for sexual orientation and gender identity. CBC has described SOGI 123 as guides and resources to help teachers address discrimination and bullying and create supportive environments, rather than a curriculum on its own.

A UBC/SARAVYC evaluation says the SOGI 123 initiative and resources were developed in the 2015–2016 school year, with ARC Foundation, school districts, teachers, parents, students, community groups, UBC Faculty of Education and the B.C. Ministry of Education involved. CBC reported that B.C.’s Conservatives made ending SOGI 123 part of their 2024 education platform. Castanet reported in 2026 that SOGI remained an issue in the B.C. Conservative leadership race.

What is still missing

NewsForBC did not retrieve a ministry statement saying “SOGI 123 is defunded,” a cancelled contract notice, a line-item budget change, or a grant record proving a specific funding stream was ended. That does not mean no funding change occurred; it means the public post alone does not prove the full claim.

Bottom line

The safest wording is: B.C. has visibly de-emphasized the old SOGI web page, and ConservativeBC is claiming a win. But the public record checked by NewsForBC supports “partly true, still developing,” not “SOGI is over.”

Sources

• Facebook lead
• B.C. government SOGI page
• B.C. government Diversity and inclusion page
• B.C. SOGI resource guide PDF
• CBC: Conservatives’ education platform includes ending SOGI 123
• CBC: SOGI and B.C. election fight
• Castanet: SOGI stance in Conservative leadership race