ICC launches partnership with TD Bank as Presenting Sponsor of the Cultural Access Pass

On April 23^rd, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) welcomed TD Bank as the Presenting Sponsor of its Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program with a celebratory roundtable conversation on arts, culture, and inclusion at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts in Toronto.

The ICC’s co-chairs, the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul, were joined at the event by Kelvin Tran, Senior Vice President and Chief Auditor at TD Bank, who made the announcement.

“TD wants to help open doors to an inclusive tomorrow where everyone feels connected to their community. This is exactly what the Cultural Access Pass does,” said Tran.

With TD’s sponsorship of $1.7 million over 3 years, the ICC will enhance and expand the CAP program over the coming year.

“Over the past decade, 265 000 Canadians have benefitted from the Cultural Access Pass in their first year of citizenship,” said Yasmine Mohamed, Director, Cultural Access Pass, who spoke at the event. “They’ve told us that the program has let them celebrate their Canadian citizenship; that it has helped them take ownership of and contribute to Canadian culture; and that it has made them feel more included in their communities and, as a result, inspired them to become more active citizens.”

“We couldn’t be happier to be partnering with TD Bank, which has a long track record of championing diversity and inclusion through the arts,” said Charlie Foran, the ICC’s CEO.

Guests at the event included key Cultural Access Pass partners, including representatives from the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Canadian Opera Company; ICC partners and donors; and TD Bank and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship representatives. Many of the guests were also current and former members of the CAP program, including TD staff members Shabbir Patanwala, Ahmed Khan and Jonathan Almanza.

The event was hosted in partnership with the Canadian Opera Company (COC) at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The COC is a valued partner in the CAP program, and generously provides CAP members with free admission to dress rehearsal performances.

The only program of its kind in the world, the ICC’s Cultural Access Pass gives new Canadian citizens the chance to explore, travel, and discover Canada during their first year of citizenship. For more information, visit culturalaccesspass.ca.