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The Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ Pride Society's mission is based on empowerment. They empower those who are—or think they might be—gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, two-spirited, queer, questioning, gender non-binary, asexual, friends and allies. Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ Pride fosters learning and empowerment through social celebration and networking. They strive to create a better public understanding of their community's history, courage, diversity and future.

Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ's first official Pride Parade was held in 1993 and had a permit to walk along the sidewalk from Centennial Square to the Parliament Buildings. In subsequent years, the end of the parade expanded into the Pride Festival and moved to Fisherman's Wharf, and then moved once again to MacDonald Park in 2010. Since this incarnation of the Society's creation in 2004, they have focused on supporting the inclusiveness, accessibility and diversity of Pride Week events. Today, they are one of a few national Pride societies who encourage all people to walk the Pride Parade route—generating thousands of people 'proudly' walking the streets of Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ for themselves, colleagues or loved ones.

The Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ Pride Society has always been volunteer-based and they acknowledge that the work they do is, and has been built on, the work of the ones who came before them. As their community, sponsors and supporters grow, so too does the opportunity to give back to their community. As the direct result of their hard-working volunteers, they are able to offer an award that seeks to help someone who considers themselves to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, queer, questioning, asexual, intersex or gender non-binary.