Since its inception, Canoo has unlocked Canada for over 789,000 newcomers, providing free admission to museums, galleries, festivals, concerts, and other experiences across the country. For this quarterly Canoo Insights Report, we’re looking at Canoo member growth and engagement in summer 2024.

Canoo Memberships Continue to Increase

Since we published our last Canoo Insights Report in September 2024, Canoo membership has continued to increase. The following graph shows overall Canoo member numbers (adults and accompanying children) and monthly member growth from September to December 2024.

Canoo Member Growth September 1 – November 30, 2024

Canoo Member Growth: 2023 vs. 2024 Peak Season

This edition of the Canoo Insights Report focuses on the summer of 2024, which was the peak season for member activity this year. Let’s start by looking at the growth in Canoo membership (adults + accompanying children) in summer 2023 versus summer 2024.

Compared to the same months in 2023, May 2024 saw a 27% increase in sign-ups, June had a 14% increase, and there was a slight decrease of (-)0.2% in July. With the school year approaching and schedules becoming busier at the end of summer, August and September experienced a dip in Canoo sign-ups. The trend suggests that sign-ups among Canoo members typically align with children’s summer vacation periods.

Canoo Member Growth: Summer 2023 vs. Summer 2024

New Canoo Members by Country of Origin: Summer 2023 vs. Summer 2024

Hidden Gem Venues

This summer, Canoo highlighted four “hidden gem” venues across the country. These venues offer compelling exhibits and family-friendly activities, without the crowds of more popular attractions. The following charts show admission at these hidden gem venues, as well as how often Canoo members visited with children.

Since its inception, Canoo has unlocked Canada for over 750,000 newcomers, providing free admission to museums, galleries, festivals, concerts, and other experiences across the country. For this quarterly Canoo Insights Report, we’re taking a look at our members and venues in Ottawa to better understand Canoo’s presence in our nation’s capital.

Canoo Memberships Continue to Increase

Since we published our last Canoo Insights Report in June, Canoo membership continued to increase. The following graph shows overall Canoo member growth (adults + children) and monthly member growth from June to August 2024.

Correction note December 3, 2024: The following graph was previously mislabeled as “New Adult Canoo Members” and “Total Adult Canoo Members”. The labels have been updated to reflect that the graph shows both adult members and the children associated with them.

Canoo Member Growth June – August, 2024

Ottawa Canoo Members

Ottawa, Canada’s capital, is a vibrant city with diverse activities for locals and visitors alike. The following graph demonstrates adult Canoo member growth in Ottawa in 2024 so far (January 1 – August 31). The bar chart displays increases in adult Canoo memberships in Ottawa per month in 2024. The line graph displays total adult Canoo members in Ottawa. Canoo membership has grown steadily in Ottawa, reaching nearly 40,000 adult Canoo members by the end of July 2024.

Canoo Member Growth in Ottawa

Ottawa Canoo Member Demographics

Most Popular Ottawa Venues

Ottawa has a wealth of museums and galleries that showcase history, art, and culture from Canada and around the world. Check out the graph below to see some of the most popular Canoo venues in the Ottawa region, based on the number of admissions from January to July 2024.

Ottawa Canoo Venues by Admissions

Out-of-Province Canoo Admissions in Ottawa

In an earlier Canoo Insights Report, we shared how Canoo members use the app to travel across Canada. And as you can see from the graph above, Ottawa has plenty of exciting venues to keep visitors entertained. It’s no wonder so many Canoo members are travelling to this great city! The following graphs show how many Canoo members from each province (outside of Ontario) visited Canoo venues from January to July 2024. The graphs are split into visits from Canoo members located in the east, central, and west regions.

Canoo Visitors from Eastern Canada

Canoo Visitors from Central Canada

Canoo Visitors from Western Canada

Since its inception, Canoo has unlocked Canada for over 660,000 newcomers, providing free admission to museums, galleries, festivals, concerts, and other experiences across the country. In this quarterly Canoo Insights Report, we are delighted to share some highlights and accomplishments from the past year.

Canoo Memberships Continue to Increase

In the past few years, the Canoo network has expanded significantly. Canoo now offers members access to over 350 partners, with thousands of experiences available on the app.

With the expansion of the program, Canoo membership experienced dramatic growth. In our Canoo Insights Report: Part 4, published in July 2023, we predicted that 80,030 new members would join Canoo in 2023. We surpassed that number by 68%, with more than 134,000 new members joining Canoo in 2023. In 2024, we expect to receive more than 225,000 new members. This incredible growth demonstrates the appeal of the Canoo program and its vast partner network to newcomers.

Sign-ups per Month

May 2023-May 2024

The following graph demonstrates the number of Canoo sign-ups per month over the past year. Canoo sign-ups typically peak during school holidays, such as July (summer break) and December (winter break). This year, the sign-ups in May 2024 surpassed last year’s May sign-ups and are nearly as high as the peak July 2023 sign-ups.

Peak Month	Number of Sign-ups (Adult + Child)
July 2023	35,245
December 2023	21,917
May 2024	29,754

Year-over-year Change in Canoo Membership

Gender Breakdown of New Canoo Members

(Signed up May 2023 – May 2024)

Since its inception, Canoo has unlocked Canada for almost 500,000 newcomers, providing free admission to museums, galleries, festivals, concerts, and other experiences across the country. In this quarterly Canoo Insights Report, we are excited to share how Canoo allows members to explore Canada.

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Canoo offers members unparalleled access to venues across Canada. Members can visit world-class museums, galleries, national parks, and more – all free or heavily discounted. Canoo unlocks local communities for members, offering opportunities for them to make long-lasting connections.

Canoo to Other Provinces

For many Canoo members, the app offers something more: the opportunity to explore beyond their province of residence and discover all that Canada has to offer.

In 2023, thousands of Canoo members travelled outside their province of residence and visited Canoo venues across Canada.

Canoo Visits 2023

As summer unfolds across Canada, it brings a vibrant array of outdoor activities, festivals, and gatherings. Naturally, Canoo visits peak in the summer months. Out-of-province visits follow a similar pattern, demonstrating Canoo’s popularity during the summer holidays when families can travel more easily.

Out-of-Province Canoo Visitors by Province 2023

In the chart below, Quebec stands out for receiving the most out-of-province visitors. Although the overall number of out-of-province visitors was highest in Quebec, the following regional assessments demonstrate higher rates of out-of-province visitors in some smaller provinces, particularly in Atlantic Canada.

Regional Assessment

Western Canada

Western Canada received high rates of out-of-province visitors in 2023. It’s no wonder that so many Canoo members choose to travel to visit these incredible provinces. From seeing the world’s largest T. rex in Saskatchewan to skiing in Banff to whale watching in the Pacific, Western Canada has a lot to offer. Hover over the charts below to see how many Canoo members visited each province.

Local vs Out-of-Province Canoo Visitors – Western Canada 2023

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Venues with the most out-of-province Canoo visitors in 2023

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Alberta: Royal Tyrrell Museum

In 2023, the Royal Tyrrell Museum welcomed 1909 Canoo visitors from outside of Alberta, including 1104 adult Canoo members with a total of 805 children.

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British Columbia: Science World

In 2023, Science World welcomed 2178 Canoo members from outside of BC, including 1252 adults with a total of 926 children.

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Saskatchewan: Western Development Museum – 1910 Boomtown

In 2023, the Western Development Museum – 1910 Boomtown welcomed 89 Canoo members from outside of Saskatchewan, including 50 adults with a total of 39 children.

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Central Canada

In Central Canada, Quebec received notably high rates of out-of-province visitors in 2023. This is no surprise considering the incredible culture and nature in Quebec, in addition to the province’s proximity to 100,000+ Canoo members based in Ontario.

Local vs Out-of-Province Canoo Visitors – Central Canada 2023

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Venues with the most out-of-province Canoo visitors in 2023

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Manitoba: Canadian Museum for Human Rights

In 2023, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights welcomed 275 Canoo members from outside of Manitoba, including 197 adults with a total of 78 children.

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Ontario: Royal Ontario Museum

In 2023, the Royal Ontario Museum welcomed 1819 Canoo members from outside of Ontario, inclduing 1213 adults with a total of 606 children.

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Quebec: Biodôme

In 2023, the Biodôme welcomed 6389 Canoo members from outside of Quebec, including 3963 adults with a total of 2426 children.

Atlantic Canada

Across Canada, the highest rates of out-of-province visitors in 2023 were recorded in the Atlantic region. These provinces offer a wide range of culture, history, and outdoor experiences all within close geographic range; it’s no wonder so many Canoo members choose to travel out east!

Local vs Out-of-Province Canoo Visitors – Atlantic Canada 2023

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Venues with the most out-of-province Canoo visitors in 2023

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New Brunswick: Beaverbrook Art Gallery

In 2023, Beaverbrook Art Gallery welcomed 61 Canoo members from outside of New Brunswick, including 35 adults with a total of 26 children.

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Newfoundland and Labrador: The Rooms

In 2023, The Rooms welcomed 114 Canoo members from outside of Newfoundland and Labrador, including 86 adults with a total of 28 children.

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Nova Scotia: Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

In 2023, The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic welcomed 734 Canoo members from outside of Nova Scotia, including 482 adults with a total of 252 children.

If you enjoyed reading this report, explore our previous editions of the Canoo Insights Report! Discover more about the invaluable partnerships and stories of Canoo members:

• Canoo Insights Report: Part 1
• Canoo Insights Report: Part 2
• Canoo Insights Report: Part 3 Canoo Women Members
• Canoo Insights report: Part 4 Happy Canoo-versary!

As Canoo continues to improve and expand, our quarterly reports aim to provide insights into Canoo, the diverse individuals it serves, and the meaningful partnerships that bring Canoo to life for newcomers.

To stay informed about the latest developments at the ICC, please subscribe here and follow us to get upcoming content from Ideas & Insights at ICC.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2023

TORONTO, ON — The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is proud to announce a new partnership to support its growing network of newcomers that are calling Canada home. Starting today, members of the ICC’s Canoo Access Pass will have access to exclusive offers with CIBC to save money in addition to accessing financial planning tools and advice.

Through this partnership with CIBC, premium offers available exclusively to Canoo members, include:

• 2 years of no-fee banking
• 2 years of fee rebates on select premium credit cards
• 0.5% rate reductions for loan products and lines of credit
• Preferred mortgage rates
• 100 free stock trades
• Free global money transfers

“The ICC is thrilled to be sharing this exclusive offer from CIBC with Canoo members,” said Daniel Bernhard, CEO, ICC. “CIBC shares our vision of supporting newcomers – Canada’s future –and their ability to one day support Canada. We’re honoured to have found such a sincere partner who shares our belief that Canada succeeds when newcomers succeed.”

“We know that moving to a new country can be overwhelming,” said Jeff Smith, Senior Vice-President, Client Segmentation and Franchising, CIBC. “With rising costs and the need to settle in, exploring Canada isn’t always possible for newcomers. This new partnership highlights the exciting experiences that our country provides and complements what our bank offers to help new residents easily access banking services.”

This new partnership announcement comes at a time when Canoo has been expanding benefits to its members from major institutions across Canada. Earlier this month, Canoo teamed up with Bell, who became the program’s exclusive telecommunications partner, and now offers special mobility and Internet deals to its members.

Canoo’s growing network of welcome partners ensures that newcomers and their families can experience Canada’s most sought after experiences as well as the tools they need to help call Canada home. Since 2010, Canoo has welcomed over 500,000 newcomer members. All recent permanent residents and new citizens can join Canoo by downloading its app for free.  

For more about the app and the growing list of benefits for Canoo members, please visit Canoo.ca.

About

The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) works to unlock Canada for newcomers, facilitating and encouraging the journey towards full and active Canadian citizenship. The ICC is an independent charity, co-founded in 2006 by the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 13 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital Markets businesses, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its leading digital banking network and locations across Canada, with offices in the United States and around the world.
Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at cibc.mediaroom.com.

Media Contacts

ICC / Canoo:
Alex Nanoff
613.709.6318 or media@inclusion.ca

CIBC:
Katarina Milicevic, CIBC Communications & Public Affairs
416.784.6108 or katarina.milicevic@cibc.com   

By Adiba Hasan

In May 2023 the Institute for Canadian Citizenship commemorated the one-year anniversary of our transformative relaunch of the Canoo Access Pass (Canoo). As a charity dedicated to unlocking Canada for newcomers and working to facilitate the journey from arrival to citizenship and belonging, Canoo has proved to be an extraordinary initiative, supporting hundreds of thousands of newcomers to explore and engage with the country.

Since its inception, Canoo has unlocked Canada for almost 500,000 newcomers, providing free admission to museums, galleries, festivals, concerts, and other experiences across the country. In this quarterly Canoo Insights Report, we are delighted to share some highlights and accomplishments from the past year.

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Canoo Member Check-ins: A Major Uptick During Holiday Periods

A ‘Check-in’ refers to the moment that a Canoo member visits a venue, attends an event, or participates in an activity offered through Canoo. Over the past year, Canoo members along with their children checked-in more than 213,000 times to different venues and events offered through Canoo. At least half of Canoo members bring children. As shown below, Canoo members check-in the most when major holidays take place — typically during periods when families spend time together. For example, Canoo members and their children checked-in 32,172 times during the Victoria Day long weekend in May 2023, making it the highest check-in period on record!

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Testimonials

At the heart of Canoo’s success lies the unwavering support of our members, whose feedback has been invaluable in shaping and expanding this initiative. Without our members’ active participation, the Canoo program, along with the enriching partnerships it has forged across Canada, simply would not thrive. Check out one of our Canoo members’ experiences of Canoo that showcases the value of Canoo in fostering a sense of belonging and exploration in Canada (click here).

Other Canoo Members’ Experiences:

Canoo to us is like a lens through which we can explore Canada, we get to know all the beautiful, scenic, historical & cultural places in one place and in the most economical manner. ~Amandeep Kaur Bhatia

It [Canoo] helped me want to discover more places, and experience more after I moved as I was financially tight and that stopped me from exploring the culture, nature and more, of Canada. Canoo helped me fall in love with my new home. ~Thanzeem Kassim Rawther

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More than 200 Newcomers Attend Performance of James Kudelka’s Cinderella.

On March 14^th, the National Ballet of Canada, in partnership with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, hosted a magical evening for 200 newcomers to Canada. We would like to thank the National Ballet of Canada for this memorable night of beauty, culture and community building. Their commitment to enriching the lives of Canadians through the arts is inspiring.

James Kudelka’s Cinderella was breathtaking, set to Prokofiev’s vibrant score, with Art Deco-inspired designs by David Boechler and lighting by Christopher Dennis. But the night was about so much more than the performance.

The National Ballet is a valued Canoo partner, providing new Canadians and their families with access to exceptional cultural events. And thanks to their incredible generosity, last night marked the first time that 200 Canoo members gathered together under one roof. It provided a unique opportunity for newcomers to connect with members of the National Ballet, Canoo team members – and each other.

The night started with an exclusive Canoo pre-performance reception, held in the magnificent Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Just being in the same room as the stunning architecture, beautiful artwork and talented performers was enough to evoke a feeling of awe and electricity.

The evening’s events were introduced by Lisa Robinson, Senior Manager of Education & Community Engagement at the National Ballet of Canada, followed by remarks from Barry Hughson, Executive Director of the National Ballet and The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson & John Ralston Saul, Co-Founders, Institute for Canadian Citizenshipand First Soloist, Tanya Howard.

They all emphasized the National Ballet’s commitment to enriching the lives of Canadians and the power of the arts to foster belonging and inclusion. In attendance were ICC’s founders, the Rt. Hon Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul.

As newcomer Citizenship rates drop across the country, the National Ballet’s initiative, in partnership with the ICC, is a testament that Canada has the potential to reverse this trend and provide true welcoming moments for Canada’s newest peoples.

Thank you to all who attended this wonderful event! Please share your experience (and photos!) on our social channels @CanooPass, @Inclusion.ca and in the comments.

Please click here to view all photos from The National Ballet and Canoo event.

According to Statistics Canada, over 7 million women living in Canada were born outside of the country, and in 2022, IRCC welcomed 242,884 female permanent residents, 52% of the total new permanent residents.

In our very own Canoo domain, women also make up 52% of the Canoo member base and in celebration of International Women’s Day, this Canoo Insights Report looks at the usage of Canoo by Canoo women members.

Main takeaways from this report:

• Since 2018, Canoo has served 94,950 women
• Since May 2022, women have saved $1,373,045

Recap: What is a Canoo Insights Report?

Canoo Insights Report is a quarterly series started by Ideas & Insights at the Institute for Canadian Citizenship that sheds light on our Canoo Access Pass program. Through these quarterly reports, we hope to:

1. Give readers a sense of the Canoo program
2. Reveal the impact of Canoo on its diverse members
3. Provide a glimpse into the moving parts of the Canoo program that make it the biggest welcome network in Canada

Here are some highlights about Canoo:

222,280 people have become Canoo members since Canoo transitioned from a paper pass into a mobile app in 2018. Since then, Canoo has served 94,950 women.

There are 65,690 currently active Canoo members participating in the program within their 12 months of access (a 25% increase from the previous Canoo Insight Report), and 33,226 of the currently active Canoo members are women.

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Gender Distribution of Active Canoo Members

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Visits by Canoo Women members

When a Canoo member visits a place or participates in an activity through the app, we refer to it as a “check-in“. Since May 2022, Canoo members have made 78,460 check-ins at places across the country. Women have made up slightly more than 50% of the check-ins.

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Top 5 Places Visited by Canoo Women Members

Through Canoo, women members have access to a variety of places across Canada. In every province and territory, women members can choose to visit museums, parks, events, and more. Here are some of the most popular places visited by Canoo women members in Canada.

Manitoba

Since May 2022, Canoo women members checked in 845 times to the top 5 places in Manitoba.

Value saved from visits to the top 5 places:

$ 9,940

Nova Scotia

Since May 2022, Canoo women members checked in 599 times to the top 5 places in Nova Scotia.

Value saved from visits to the top 5 places:

$ 5,944

Ontario

Since May 2022, Canoo women members checked in 14,066 times to the top 5 places in Ontario.

Value saved from visits to the top 5 places in ON:

$ 362,414

Quebec

Since May 2022, Canoo women members checked in 2,053 times to the top 5 places in Quebec.

Value saved from visits to the top 5 places:

$ 43,374

Saskatchewan

Since May 2022, Canoo women members checked in 107 times to the top 5 places in Saskatchewan.

Value saved from visits to the top 5 places:

$ 855

Did you find this report Interesting? If you want to read more, check out some of the earlier issues of Canoo Insights Report that highlight Canoo partners and members:

• Canoo Insights Report: Part 1
• Canoo Insights Report: Part 2

A new survey by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship is shedding light on a worrying sense of isolation amongst newcomers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also highlights a strong desire amongst newcomers to get involved in more social and recreational activities in Canada.

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Almost 5,000 Canoo members responded to the Newcomer Activities and Interests Survey, designed by the Ideas and Insights team at the ICC, which aimed to explore the kinds of social and recreational activities new permanent residents and new Canadian citizens enjoy participating in. The survey also explored the impact of Covid-19 on newcomers, as well as their experience with various barriers to accessing social and recreational activities.

Among the various findings of the survey, major insights include:

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About the Survey:

The Newcomer Activities and Interests Survey was shared with the ICC’s Canoo member network and was open between 24th January to 31st January 2023. By completing the survey, respondents could opt-in to being entered into a draw for a $500 gift card. 4,929 Canoo members responded to the survey out of which 4,127 completed it in full. Partial survey completions were removed prior to the analysis.

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To see the survey results in full, click here.

2022 Was a Year of Expansion and Innovation for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).

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ICC Welcomed Thousands of New Citizens Through Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies

The ICC worked with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to host 61 enhanced citizenship ceremonies, in-person and online, welcoming 4,739 newcomers into our Canadian family.

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Canoo Went to New Heights

Additionally, Canoo, our one-of-a-kind app that gives newcomers free VIP access to +1,400 of Canada’s best cultural and outdoor experiences, saw remarkable growth and has the highest number of activated accounts since launching in 2019.

Canoo makes it possible for newcomers to experience our rich culture and build memories with their families. In 2022, there were more than 61,000 Canoo check-ins by adults and just under 50,000 by children. During this holiday season alone, there were more than 10,000 check-ins to various winter events, activities and venues.

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ICC Research Uncovered Interesting Findings

This year, in collaboration with Andrew Griffith, the ICC also launched the Citizenship and Immigration dashboard, which tracks permanent resident admissions and new citizens using #IRCC data.

This dashboard makes available important stats and information, including how many permanent residents are admitted each month, the number of new citizens, how many people are inquiring about Canadian citizenship and more.

The ICC also works with partners and program participants to drive research and develop cutting edge insights on inclusion and citizenship.

In 2022, the ICC worked with Canada Research Chair Dr. Rupa Banerjee to produce the report ‘Time to Change Focus? A Review of Immigrant Labour Market Barriers, Outcomes and the Role of Employers in Canada‘.

This report reviews the current state of research on immigrant labour market barriers and outcomes in Canada, highlighting the need for future research that explores the impact of employers on immigrant labour market outcomes.

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The LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture Welcomed Canada’s Governor General

On October 6^th, 2021, together with the University of Calgary, the ICC hosted the 19th Annual LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture, delivered by Canada’s Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon. It was beautiful to see guests in person and nearly 400 Canoo members were in attendance!

Her Excellency addressed the importance of teaching Canada’s true history – the good and the bad – both as acts of reconciliation and citizenship for all Canadians, including newcomers. This was followed by a moderated conversation with ICC co-chair John Ralston Saul on the lecture theme: Reconciliation and Evolution of Canada.

The ICC and 1000+ attendees learned that we, as Canadian citizens, must know, advocate and amplify the stories of indigenous peoples, as they have been silenced for too long.

How are newcomers to Canada valuable in advancing reconciliation? We think newcomers are more supportive and eager to learn Canadian history. Newcomers who have faced biases and understand the legacies of colonialism worldwide push for an equal and inclusive country, advancing human rights for all.

In 2023, we will continue to work towards making Canada the most welcoming country in the world. We look forward to sharing more research, positive results, and Canoo success stories in the months to come.

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The Canoo Impact

Canoo was initially offered to new Canadian citizens, who make up the majority of members. With the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, Canoo is now offered to permanent residents for the first time, and more than 15,000 permanent residents have become members since.

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Meet Canoo Members

Toni Agbaje-Ojo, at the ICC, interviewed Canoo members on their experience using Canoo and covered a range of topics, from understanding what their transition to Canada was like to how Canoo helped them find a sense of belonging in Canada.

Highlighted below are two Canoo members who explain their journey in Canada and use Canoo to create memories and feel connected to Canada.