-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — 11 May 2022

MEET CANOO 2.0 — FREE ACCESS TO OVER 1400 EXPERIENCES FOR MILLIONS OF NEWCOMERS

Institute for Canadian Citizenship Works With Canada’s Biggest Organizations and Brands to Relaunch VIP Access Program for Newcomers

TORONTO – The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) — Canada’s leading citizenship-building organization and the world’s foremost voice on citizenship and inclusion — has relaunched its signature Canoo Access Pass, by making the app available to some two million permanent residents for the first time and adding hundreds of new free and discounted experiences and attractions for newcomers to enjoy in every province and territory.

Canoo is Canada’s only national welcome network for newcomers. The ICC created Canoo in 2010 to help new Canadian citizens celebrate their citizenship. Since then, Canoo has welcomed over 420,000 members and their families with free VIP access to more than 1,400 of Canada’s top destinations.

Canoo 2.0 massively expands the program’s reach to serve more than two million recently arrived permanent residents, and vastly extends the range of available benefits to include free and discounted access to live events, volunteer opportunities, travel, and exclusive deals with Canada’s leading brands.

Canoo 2.0 partners include:

• • Parks Canada: free admission to national historic sites, national parks and other places administered by Parks Canada.
  • VIA Rail: 50% off rail passes for one adult and up to 4 of their kids.
  • Air Canada: 15% off up to four tickets anywhere in Canada
  • Art Gallery of Ontario: free admission
  • Calgary Stampede: free admission
  • Dragon Boat BC: discounted intro to paddling classes and more
  • Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21: free admission
  • Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment: discounted tickets to Toronto FC and Toronto Argonauts home games
  • Musée des beaux–arts de Montréal: free admission
  • Postmedia: exclusive offer for 12 months of digital access to the National Post plus 16 of Canada’s leading news sites for $1
  • The Toronto International Film Festival: free one-year membership that includes access to digital and in-person benefits and experiences

These are just a few of the many organizations and brands across Canada offering deals on travel, experiences and more to newcomers through Canoo, and the ICC will continue to add new partners and experiences to the app, including those that connect newcomers with First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, organizations and events.

“Newcomers to Canada are builders, dreamers, entrepreneurs, and job-creators. As a country, we are better, stronger and more competitive when newcomers don’t just to come to Canada, but love it here, become citizens, and make Canada their permanent family home. Yet recent surveys reveal that up to 30% of newcomers under 35 are likely to leave Canada within two years,” said ICC CEO Daniel Bernhard. “Canoo is a powerful way to invite newcomers to experience the very best of Canada. It provides tangible proof that Canada values them and believes in them, while also celebrating the people, places, and experiences that make Canada amazing.”

86% of Canoo members report feeling an enhanced sense of belonging to Canada after just one year of using Canoo. A further 92% of members will be continuing visiting Canoo partner attractions after their membership expires.

“In short,” said Bernhard, “We know that Canoo works as a tool to create a feeling of home at scale. As of today, it works even better, for many more people.”

To download Canoo 2.0 for iPhone or Android, visit canoo.ca or search for Canoo in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

From our partners

“VIA Rail has been a proud partner of Canoo for 10 years and we are excited to be expanding our 50 per cent discount offer on the best available fare to more than two million permanent residents for one trip to a destination of their choice during their Canoo membership. There is no better way to fall in love with this country, and truly make it your home, than to explore it by train. Encouraging newcomers to Canada to travel this country by rail is an enchanting way to welcome them, and support them, as they discover the beauty and splendor of their new home.”

Martin R. Landry, Chief Commercial Officer, VIA Rail

“Air Canada is very proud to partner with the ICC on this initiative as exploring the country to experience Canada’s diversity in-person the diversity of Canada is the best route to welcome newcomers and engage them in active citizenship”

David Rheault, Vice-President, Government and Community Relations, Air Canada

“TIFF is delighted to partner with the Institute of Canadian Citizenship and Canoo as part of our efforts to open our doors to all film lovers to participate in transformative film experiences at our home, TIFF Bell Lightbox,” stated Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “Those who take up our offer of a free Membership will have access to over 200 free screenings of new essentials, classics, rarities, and recent restorations in our TIFF Cinematheque programming this year, in addition to other exclusive benefits in the lead-up to the Festival. This is an exciting moment for TIFF to welcome these film lovers to Canada and bring them closer into our film community.”

Cameron Bailey, CEO, Toronto International Film Festival

Project benefactors

The ICC is grateful to our generous benefactors, whose vision, support, and financial backing underpin this ambitious expansion of Canoo, including:

Government of Canada
Canadian Western Bank
Irfhan Rawji
Sandra and Jim Pitblado
Power Corporation of Canada
Drs Munira and Kabir Jivraj
George and Martha Butterfield
The Kim Family Foundation
Catherine and William Graham
Naim Ali and Family
Peter Cheung

About the Institute for Canadian Citizenship

The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is a national non-profit organization co-founded by The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul. The ICC unlocks Canada for newcomers, facilitating and encouraging the journey toward full and active Canadian citizenship. Since 2005, the ICC has supported more than 450,000 newcomers with programming to encourage a sense of belonging and build a more inclusive Canada.

For comment and more information: media@inclusion.ca