After going on a break for a few years, the search for a Canadian gay role model is back.

The last person to be crowned Mr. Gay Canada was Christepher Wee from Coquitlam in 2014, who succeeded Danny Papadatos from Saskatoon.

Gay Whistler CEO Dean Nelson had told the Georgia Straight in a 2017 interview that Mr. Gay Canada, the search for a gay male to represent the nation in speaking about LGBT rights and inclusive environments, was launched in 2009 and held during Whistler Pride festivals but went on hiatus due to financial challenges.

This year, the competition returned and Vancouverite Josh Rimer was announced today (January 16) as Mr. Gay Canada for 2019.

Rimer has volunteered for numerous LGBT–related charities, including the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation, A Loving Spoonful, AIDS Vancouver, Loud Foundation, and the Foundation of Hope.

Mr. Gay Canada winners are chosen to compete in Mr. Gay World, an international gay role-model search.

In August, Mr. Gay World announced that the annual event was scheduled to be held in Hong Kong from April 28 to May 4, 2019. But due to a clampdown by Chinese authorities on LGBT events in China, the event had to be relocated to Cape Town, South Africa.

“I’m disappointed in the Chinese authorities for being unwilling to celebrate and uphold LGBTQ equality, but their stance demonstrates why Mr. Gay World is still such a relevant and important competition,” Mr. Gay World 2018, Jordan Bruno from Australia, stated in a news release.

The Mr. Gay World competition includes participating in photo, sports, fashion, and swimwear challenges as well as being judged for speaking ability, intercultural issues, leadership, confidence, charisma, diplomacy, and more.

So far, Canada has not won the competition since the first event was held in Whistler in 2009. Previous winners thus far have hailed from Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, U.K., Hong Kong, Spain, Philippines, and Australia.