Venue
The Hangar Flight Museum, Calgary, Alberta
Theme
Black History Month
On February 28, 2023, ICC hosted an in-person Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony at the Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary, Alberta. The museum creates an incredible environment because it draws inspiration from the bold and adventurous stories found within its community. Here, we celebrated the new Canadians on this occasion by remembering their courageous journeys.
Presiding Official Irene Pfeiffer administered the oath of citizenship and welcomed 27 individuals from 14 countries as Canadian citizens.
Number of New Citizens
Number of Countries
ICC’s Citizenship Ceremony featured our signature roundtable discussions between new citizens and their guests. These discussions are inspired by Indigenous Talking Circles that traditionally create spaces of inclusiveness and equality. Afterwards, there is an opportunity for individuals to share their story with everyone in attendance. This allowed some new citizens to relieve themselves of past burdens through open conversation. Every guest was then able to revel in the joy and acceptance that filled the room.
A roundtable participant shared the following during this event:
“I am so happy to be here with you and share our story. We just came from the Middle East – a country called Iraq. We had a tough time there because of the civil war. We’ve been to Jordan, spent approximately 3 years there, and applied for resettlement in a new country. Our dream was being here in Canada. I am so happy here because this dream is happening right now.”
It is important to recognize the sacrifices and hardships that have occurred in the process of pursuing a new citizenship. In overcoming this, the outcome provides people from all walks of life the same rights and privileges as those born in Canada.
To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.
With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.
Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.
Chucks Okafor
Real Estate Advisor
He/Him
Chucks is a global real estate advisor at Sotheby’s International Realty. A former professional athlete in the Canadian Football league, Chucks has combined his dedication, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence to cater to the real estate needs of discerning individuals and their families globally and in Calgary’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Outside of real estate, Chucks is a board member and co-founder of The Calgary Black Chambers and volunteers as a football coach at Centennial High School.
READ MORE
Dallas Hayes-Sparks
Opera Singer
She/Her
Dallas Hayes-Sparks is a singer – specializing in opera – from Calgary, Alberta. She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia majoring in opera performance and psychology. She is also an honours graduate of the Mount Royal Vocal Academy for Gifted Students.
READ MORE
Venue
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Theme
National Flag of Canada Day
On February 15, 2023, we were honoured to host an in-person Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As the world’s first museum dedicated to human rights, the venue highlights respect and compassion while encouraging meaningful conversations.
Citizenship Judge Suzanne Carrière administered the oath of citizenship and welcomed 48 individuals from 9 countries as Canadian citizens.
Number of New Citizens
Number of Countries
The ICC’s enhanced ceremonies featured our signature roundtable discussion between new citizens and their guests. This is inspired by Indigenous Talking Circles that traditionally create spaces of inclusiveness and equality. The heartwarming event brought members together over shared experiences. Many families who were once separated from their loved ones are now able to be reunited in Canada. While planning for their future, families can stay connected to their roots and culture while not feeling the isolation that is often found in the process of creating a new home in a strange place.
“I would like to thank Canada for uniting our family together and letting us live a life as a family, which we couldn’t do in India since my dad was always travelling for work.”
With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships.
To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.
If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.
The Sadler Sisters
Singers & Songwriters
She/Her/They
Although their personalities may differ, they share many common musical influences and tastes. Hailing from Winnipeg Manitoba. The Sadler Sisters perform a mixture of pop covers and jazz standards while recently starting to dabble in their own songwriting. They enjoy creating paired-down acoustic arrangements of popular music infused with jazz stylings.
READ MORE
Connor Derraugh
Jazz Musician
He/Him
Connor holds a Jazz Performance Degree from the University of Manitoba with a double major in piano and saxophone. He has performed at numerous events including the Winnipeg Jazz Festival, the Downtown Concert Series, the Asper Jazz Series, the Assiniboine Park’s Jazz in the Garden and Summer Concert Series and plays with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra.
READ MORE
The latest immigration data (December 2022) has been released by IRCC and the complete 2022 data updates can be found on our immigration dashboard. Data are released by IRCC on a two-month lag. The visualizations below are based on a 2018 baseline.
The number of new citizens in December 2022 was down by 37% (-13,172) compared to November 2022.
Permanent resident admissions in December 2022 were down by 10.20% (-2,585) compared to November 2022.
Key Insights – Source Countries
Source Countries (December 2022)
- India represented the largest source country of new citizens (3,886) and permanent residents:(4,555).
- China did not make the list of top 5 source countries for new citizens (735), but was the third largest source country for new permanent residents (1,595).
You can learn more about the ICC here. Join the conversation and be part of building a more inclusive Canada.
Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates happening at the ICC and follow us to get upcoming content from Ideas & Insights at ICC.
Venue
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Ontario
Theme
Black History Month
On February 10th, 2023, we were honoured to host a citizenship ceremony at Toronto Pearson International Airport. We are grateful to have been provided with such a memorable ceremony venue to welcome new citizenship candidates, their friends, family, and community members.
Citizenship Judge Hardish Dhaliwal administered the Oath of Citizenship, the final step that the 39 people from 20 countries took to become Canadian citizens.
Number of New Citizens
Number of Countries
The enhanced ceremony featured our signature roundtable discussion, inspired by Indigenous Talking Circles, which are traditionally spaces of inclusiveness and equality. Following the roundtable discussions, the share back portion of the day saw the soon-to-be new citizens speak of their journey to this moment.
A new Canadian shared his thoughts on the important things those seated at his roundtable had in common.
We have shared our different experiences” one roundtable participant said. Some of us have been here for a decade, and some of us have been here for five years. But the one unifying factor is that we are all here together, and we are all going to celebrate this ceremony together… despite the winter – we all make compromises in life. We do love this country, and we are excited for those of us who are going to be citizens, and we are looking forward to the future.”
ICC Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies provide a rare opportunity for established Canadians to connect with new Canadian citizens and hear about their journeys to citizenship.
Photos of the citizenship ceremony can be found here.
If you’d like to participate in this unique and unifying experience firsthand and volunteer as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.
Venue
VIA Rail station in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Theme
Education and Learning Worlds of Differences
On January 31st, 2023, we were privileged to host our first in-person Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony of 2023 at the VIA Rail station in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A historic venue that served as one of the primary methods new immigrants used to migrate within Canada during the immigration boom of the early 20th century.
Citizenship Judge Joan Mahoney administered the oath of citizenship and welcomed 48 new citizens from 13 countries as Canadian citizens.
Number of New Citizens
Number of Countries
The enhanced ceremony featured our signature roundtable discussion, inspired by Indigenous Talking Circles – talking circles are traditionally spaces of inclusiveness and equality. Following the roundtable discussions, the share back portion of the day saw the soon-to-be new citizens speak of their journey to citizenship. Many reflected on the changes that had occurred during their journey, from growing their families to starting new businesses within Canada. The roundtable discussions truly encompassed the ceremony’s theme of Education and Learning Worlds of Differences.
During the shareback portion of the ceremony, a new citizen shared her first memories in Canada. She did not know much about Canada before immigrating to the country but quickly learned how welcoming the country was. She recalled feeling accepted everywhere she went due to strangers smiling at her, saying good morning on the street and welcoming her when she entered a building.
To view photos of the citizenship ceremony, click here.
If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.
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.
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:
66.8% of respondents strongly agree (27.9%) or somewhat agree (38.9%) that the impact of Covid-19 on their social and recreational activities has left them feeling more isolated.
87.3% of respondents strongly agree (59.7%) or somewhat agree (27.6%) that participating in activities that make them feel comfortable and welcome increases their sense of belonging and connection to Canada.
83.5% of respondents strongly agree (50.7%) or somewhat agree (32.8%) that participating in activities with diverse groups of people increases their sense of belonging and connection to Canada.
95.57% of respondents indicated that they would like to increase their participation or attendance in social and recreational activities.
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.
To see the survey results in full, click here.
By Adiba Hasan
Immigration is vital to Canada’s economy, but also to its cultural dynamism. 90 percent of labour force growth is attributed to immigration, as is 75 percent of population growth. Canada has welcomed a record high of 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022, 16% higher than in 2021. But the federal government has indicated that it will increase immigration levels even further, admitting 1.45 million new immigrants between 2023-2025.
The ICC launched a dashboard in collaboration with Andrew Griffith, tracking the number of new citizens and permanent residents admitted to Canada. After facing public backlash on application backlogs, IRCC has managed to surface through and meet its target for the year. Here is the overall breakdown of permanent resident numbers in 2022:
As seen from the dashboard, the number of permanent residents admitted between December 2021 – November 2022 is 22.7 percent higher than the previous year. The dashboard below shows how the admission varies from month to month in each immigration stream:
Reviewing the dashboard on permanent resident admission categories in 2022, the dashboard shows how admission numbers vary considerably over time. For example, the Economic-Federal category (line in green) represented most admissions processed in early 2022, but monthly figures for this category decreased significantly throughout the year. The number of permanent residents admitted through the Economic-Federal category fell from almost 19,000 permanent residents in January 2022 to roughly 8,400 in November 2022.
For new citizens, the dashboard shows similar variations in monthly processing. The drastic fall in the number of new Canadian citizens at the beginning of the pandemic and the unpredictable variation of the trendline since that point reveal IRCC’s struggles in processing citizenship applications while navigating through a massive application backlog. Although the first Covid-19 case announcement was on 25 January 2020, the trends show that the number of new citizens remained relatively steady, with 25,002 new citizens approved in January and 27,094 in February. The trendline dipped in March 2020 as IRCC shut most of its services at the onset of the pandemic. Canada admitted 9,786 new citizens in March 2020 before seeing a collapse in April 2020, when they accepted only 22 citizens.
In 2020, Canada admitted only 110,901 new citizens, a 56 percent drop from 2019 when Canada welcomed 250,513 new citizens. In September 2020, IRCC announced a gradual resumption of in-person services and there was a sudden uptick in the trend, admitting 13,936 new Canadians. The trendline of the following months reveals the outcome of the challenges IRCC was facing as the citizenship approval rates continued to vary substantially. IRCC was in the centre of a lot of negative limelight for leaving almost 85,000 potential new Canadians in limbo and experts continue to question and want more transparency on the department’s processes.
Despite all the negative media coverage about IRCC’s lack of resources and ability to manage the backlog, the number of new citizens eventually recovered. Between December 2021- November 2022, Canada gained 368,911 new citizens, a 214.5 percent increase from the 262,803 Canadian citizens approved in the previous year.
While the record number of permanent resident admissions and the significant number of new citizens in the last year is certainly noteworthy, the data raises important questions about the government’s goal of admitting 1.45 million immigrants by 2025. Given the variation in processing from one month to the next, will IRCC be able to reach this goal? Considering the fact that 1.09 million applications are still in the backlog, does IRCC have the capacity, whether through technology or through human labour, to get through the accumulated applications while also taking on a larger volume in the future? Is the goal to bring processing times back to pre-pandemic levels, which were already quite slow, or is it to revamp the entire system with the use of AI, changing eligibility requirements to create a more streamlined process of admitting newcomers in Canada?
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship works to unlock Canada for newcomers through programs like Canoo and through original research initiatives and collaborations, such as the immigration dashboard. Each month, the ICC will be monitoring trends in new citizenship and permanent resident admissions and sharing our analysis with the public. Are you following the national conversation on immigration? Let us know what you think about the 2023-2025 Immigration plan or share your thoughts about the immigration dashboard.
You can learn more about the ICC here. Join the conversation and be part of building a more inclusive Canada.
Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates happening at the ICC and follow us to get upcoming content from Ideas & Insights at ICC.
2022 Was a Year of Expansion and Innovation for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).
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.
Newcomers welcomed through enhanced ceremonies in 2022
Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies
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.
10,000+
check-ins during the holiday season
61,000+
adult check-ins
50,000+
children check-ins
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.
The LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture Welcomed Canada’s Governor General
On October 6th, 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.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon delivered the 19th LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture.
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.
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.
$1.9+ million
in value delivered in 2022
110,000+
canoo member check-ins
> 40%
of members bring children on their visits
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.
What is a Canoo Insights Report?
This is the next installment of our first Canoo Insights Report, a quarterly series started by Ideas & Insights at the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Through these quarterly reports, we hope to:
- Give readers a sense of the Canoo program
- Reveal how Canoo is the bridge that unlocks the best of Canada to newcomers
- Give readers a glimpse into the moving parts of the Canoo program that make it the biggest welcome network in Canada
What is Canoo?
Canoo is a distinctly Canadian innovation that translates our country’s openness to newcomers. Through the Canoo app, Permanent Residents and new citizens get a 12-month membership that unlocks free VIP access to over 1400 locations and experiences across Canada.
Learn About the Canoo Members
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.
$45+ million
in value delivered
450K
newcomers have participated
> 40%
of members bring children on their visits
Who is eligible to become a Canoo member?
- Any Canadian who received their citizenship in the last 12 months (365 days)
- Are within the first 5 years of receiving permanent residence status
- 18 years or older
Eligible immigrants can download the Canoo app, verify their immigration status, and gain access to tens of thousands of dollars worth of benefits + knowledge on what to do in Canada. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes.
Canoo Member Lifecycle:
Download Canoo
The first step is to download Canoo through Google Play or the App store
Verification
If eligible, members will verify their immigration status on the app by scanning their PR card or citizenship certificate
Activation
Once verified, members can choose when they want the 12-month membership to begin (some may choose to activate later depending on their schedule, upcoming offers they want to use, etc.)
Check-in to Places
Once activated, members gain access to arts and cultural venues, sports events, festivals, and more than 1400+ locations
Canoo Members since 2018: 194,760
Canoo transitioned from a paper pass to a mobile app in 2018. Since becoming digital, Canoo data show that 194,760 people have become Canoo members. Of this, there are 48,250 current active Canoo members.
Time frame: May 6th, 2022 – December 12th, 2022
Total Members Since 2018
| Currently Active PRs | 17,190 |
| Currently Active Citizens | 34,510 |
| Alumni | 102,250 |
| Downloaded | 40,810 |
| Total | 194,760 |
Gender Distribution of Active Canoo Members
| Female | Male | |
|---|---|---|
| PR | 8,950 (52%) | 8,170 (48%) |
| Citizens | 17,190 (50%) | 17,320 (50%) |
1) 67 Permanent Resident Canoo members identified as “no gender” or “non-binary”;
2) 25 citizen Canoo members identified as “no gender” or “non-binary
X-axis: Immigration Status, Y-axis: Canoo Members
Age Distribution of Canoo Members
Canoo serves diverse age groups, but a majority of active members are between 25 to 44 years old: 20,218 females, 19,222 males
| Age | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 1,217 | 953 |
| 25-34 | 9,630 | 8,017 |
| 35-44 | 10,588 | 11,205 |
| 45-54 | 2,696 | 3,324 |
| 55-64 | 763 | 798 |
| 65-74 | 339 | 364 |
| 75+ | 997 | 944 |
X-axis: Age, Y-axis: Canoo Members
Canoo Members with Children
In the last 12 months, the total number of adults admitted to Canoo is more than 50,000 members. Of this, 42 percent of Permanent Residents and 49 percent of new citizens brought children to Canoo partner sites.
| Has Children | No Children | |
|---|---|---|
| PR | 8,081 (47%) | 9,112 (53%) |
| Citizen | 19,684 (57%) | 14,826 (43%) |
X-axis: Immigration Status, Y-axis: Canoo Members
Time of Day Check-in
Most Canoo members, regardless of having children or not, visit places in the afternoon to evening.
X-axis: Time of Day, Y-axis: Canoo Members
Canoo members’ Countries of Origin
Active Users by Country of Origin
X-axis: Country of Origin, Y-axis: Canoo Members
Permanent Residents
(Top 10 Countries of Origin)
5,947
PR Canoo members of Chinese Origin
Citizens
(Top 10 Countries of Origin)
6,922
Citizen Canoo members of Indian Origin
In the last 12 months, the highest number of new citizen members were of Indian origin, while the highest number of permanent resident members were of Chinese origin. These trends in permanent resident and new citizen members are relatable to IRCC data on immigration and citizenship numbers, which are available to the public through the ICC’s immigration and citizenship dashboard here.
Days to Activation
Once a potential Canoo member downloads the app, how long does it take for them to activate their membership?
85% of members activate their membership within the first 30 days, and of those 67% of Canoo members check-in to their first location within the first week of activation.
% of members activating Canoo membership
Stories from Canoo
While empirical data is important, direct narratives from Canoo members are also vital. 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.
In conversation, Canoo members identified three transformative experiences:
- Exposure to new experiences, places, and people
- An increased sense of belonging in Canada
- Building memories and relationships within families, between newcomers and Canadians, and between newcomers and the cities they call home
Highlighted below are two Canoo members who explain their journey in Canada and use Canoo to create memories and feel connected to Canada.
As Canoo is evolving and becoming better every day, we hope that these quarterly reports help readers to understand what Canoo is, who are the people that Canoo serves, and get to know some of the partners and services that ultimately bring Canoo to life for newcomers.
Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates happening at the ICC and follow us to get upcoming content from Ideas & Insights at ICC.
Welcome to the first Canoo Insights Report
This is the first Canoo Insights Report, which is a quarterly series started by Ideas & Insights at the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Through these quarterly reports, we hope to:
- Give readers a sense of the Canoo program
- Reveal how Canoo is the bridge that unlocks the best of Canada to newcomers
- Give readers a glimpse into the moving parts of the Canoo program that make it the biggest welcome network in Canada
What is Canoo?
Founded in 2010 and formerly known as the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), Canoo is a distinctly Canadian innovation that translates our country’s openness to newcomers. Through the Canoo app, Permanent Residents and new citizens get a one-year membership that unlocks free VIP access to over 1400 locations and experiences across Canada (e.g., Concerts, arts & culture, travel, volunteering, etc.). Canoo originally served new citizens within their first 12 months of citizenship, but in May 2022, the ICC relaunched Canoo and expanded eligibility to more than two million recently arrived permanent residents.
The Problem
The Canadian government pledges to welcome more than 1.45 million permanent residents between 2023 and 2025 and general support for immigration in Canada remains strong. However, the number of permanent residents choosing to become citizens has dropped significantly since 1996, and a survey commissioned by the ICC in March 2022 showed that 30% of recent newcomers under 35 said they are likely to leave Canada within two years.
Like other countries, Canada depends on immigrants, and without their contributions, Canada will struggle to provide good-quality public services and economic growth will decline.
The Solution
Through Canoo, the ICC is on a mission to unlock the best of Canada so that immigrants don’t just come here, but also see themselves as a part of Canada’s future, love it, and become citizens and equal contributors to the country’s shared prosperity and success.
The goal is to create the best possible experience for newcomers in their early years. The ICC has responded by:
- Expanding the range of benefits available through Canoo
- Opening the program to 2 million permanent residents in May 2022
- Providing opportunities for Canadian institutions and companies to join Canada’s largest welcome network
Who are Canoo Partners?
Canoo partners make up Canada’s largest welcome network; a unique model in the world.
Canoo has two partnership streams:
Canoo offer partners – Canoo’s backbone
Canoo offer partners join the network when they commit to bringing great value to newcomers via Canoo. These partners provide free access or significant discounts to their places, experiences, and products. It is about rolling out the red carpet and showing newcomers in tangible ways that they are welcome and wanted in Canada. In other words, they bring Canada’s welcoming spirit to life.
Canoo enables its offer partners to connect directly with newcomer audiences, the fastest-growing demographic in Canada, along with Indigenous peoples. The partnership also supports Canoo’s offer partners’ diversity and inclusion mandates, helping demonstrate impact in the newcomer sphere internally and externally.
All of Canada’s top cultural institutions and most parks are part of Canoo, as are Canada’s flagship airline, Air Canada, and rail company, VIA Rail. Three of the top five most recognizable Canadian retailers recently joined the network and will start publishing their Canoo offers in 2023.
The ICC’s success rate in securing the participation of major brands we’ve outreached to in 2022 is 100%. This is a testament to Canadians’ commitment to welcoming newcomers. We continue to expand our offering each month, bringing on new corporate, cultural, and civil society partners eager to join the Canoo welcome network.
Canoo’s partnerships with immigrant-serving organizations – Further connecting Canoo & the ICC to the newcomer community
Beginning in May 2022, Canoo has been forming a pan-Canadian network of immigrant-serving organizations, such as settlement agencies. These agencies connect newcomers to Canoo, link Canoo members to agency services, and provide valuable counsel to Canoo’s strategic planning.
Canoo places across provinces and territories
Some Canoo partners offer discounts and free admission to their places. These places are situated across all provinces and territories.
| Places per Province | No. of Sites |
|---|---|
| Other (parks, historical sites, museums, art galleries, festivals, theatres) | 340 |
| Ontario | 268 |
| Nova Scotia | 51 |
| British Columbia | 50 |
| Quebec | 50 |
| Alberta | 46 |
| Saskatchewan | 23 |
| Manitoba | 21 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 18 |
| New Brunswick | 11 |
| Northwest Territories | 7 |
| Yukon | 7 |
| Prince Edward Island | 4 |
| Nunavut | 3 |
Canoo partners by category
Canoo partners range from provincial parks and festivals such as the Vancouver International Film Festival, Calgary Stampede, and the Toronto Film Festival, and many discounted and free offers to venues and activities like museums, science centres, and art galleries. In 2022, Air Canada, Canada’s national airline joined Canoo to expand the program’s travel offerings with VIA Rail who’s been with Canoo since 2012. These travel offerings allow Canoo members to discover Canada barrier-free beyond their place of residence.
Places by Category
| Place Category | No. of Places |
|---|---|
| Park | 516 |
| Museum | 165 |
| Historic Site | 121 |
| Art Gallery | 69 |
| Theatre | 11 |
| Science Centre | 7 |
| Sports | 3 |
| Aquarium | 1 |
| Convention Centre | 1 |
| Festival | 1 |
| Library | 1 |
| Zoo | 1 |
Top 5 visited places by Province
Time frame: May 6th, 2022 – December 7th, 2022
Since the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, Heritage Park Historical Village was the topmost visited site by Canoo members with 1,944 adults and 2,201 children. A living history museum and educational centre located in Calgary, the Heritage Park Historical Village exhibits western Canada from 1860s to 1950s along with amusement rides, restaurants, and event venues.
TELUS Spark Science Centre became the top most visited site for Canoo members with children, welcoming 2,319 children. An interactive science museum that has the largest dome theatre and ignites curiosity in the world of science, technology, and innovation.
Alberta: Top 5 Places Visited
Alberta: Top 3 Places Children Visited
In addition to the places featured in the above graphs, Canoo members received 500 free tickets to the 2022 Calgary Stampede, hundreds of complimentary and discounted tickets to performances by the Alberta Ballet, Calgary Opera, and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, dozens of free tickets to the 2022 Calgary Folk Music Festival, and unlimited discounted tickets to Calgary International Fringe Festival.
The Vancouver Art Gallery was the top visited site by Canoo members with 413 adults. It is recognized as one of North America’s most innovative visual arts institutions that gives space and focus to First Nations artists and the art of the Asia Pacific region.
Science World recently joined Canoo in September 2022 and became the top visited site for Canoo members with children, welcoming 264 children. Science World is an interactive museum that attracts children with its live science demonstrations.
BC: Top 5 Places Visited
BC: Top 3 Places Children Visited
In addition to places featured in the above graphs, Canoo members received 400 free tickets to the 2022 Vancouver International Film Festival, with 200 additional free tickets being offered for their year-round film screenings. Members also received discounted paddling lessons with Dragon Boat BC, exclusive tickets to BC Lions sports matches, 75 free tickets to Ballet BC’s opening show of the season, and regularly-offered complimentary tickets to performances at Vancouver Island’s Belfry Theatre
Since the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, Manitoba Children’s Museum was the most visited site in Manitoba – 403 adult Canoo members and 541 children. It is housed in the oldest train repair facility in Manitoba and it “exists to spark kids’ creative learning”.
Manitoba: Top 5 Places Visited
Manitoba: Top 3 Places Children Visited
Since the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic was the topmost visited site by Canoo members with 281 adults in Nova Scotia. One of the oldest and largest maritime museums in Canada, it hosts a large collection of elements that highlight the province’s marine history.
The Discovery Centre is the top most visited site by Canoo members with children, welcoming 221 children. It is an interactive science museum located on the Halifax waterfront.
Nova Scotia: Top 5 Places Visited
Nova Scotia: Top 3 Places Children Visited
Since the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, the Toronto Zoo was the topmost visited site by Canoo members with 4,043 adults who brought along 3,502 children on their visits.
Ontario: Top 5 Places Visited
Ontario: Top 3 Places Children Visited
Canoo members have had access to incredible events and experiences in Ontario such as:
- 1000s of free concert & show tickets offered by MLSE such as Amy Schumer, Disney on Ice, Eagles, Leon Bridges, and many more. Along with shows and concerts MLSE has also offered free and discounted tickets to check out sports matches for the Toronto Football Club, the Argonauts, and the Toronto Marlies
- 1000’s of free and discounted performance tickets to the National Ballet, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, London Symphonia, Tarragon Theatre more
- Discounts to amazing immersive experiences with Lighthouse immersive
- Free tickets and membership to a variety of different Festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival, HotDocs Film Festival, Toronto Fringe Festival, Syria Film Festival, Inside Out
- Canoo members have had access to learning how to camp and explore Ontario Parks with the Ambassador program offered by Ontario Parks
- Experience workshops for kids and parents alike with Little Canada, Aurora Cultural Centre, Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Since the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, Montréal Museum of Fine Arts attracted the most Canoo members with 639 adults. It is the oldest museum in Canada (founded in 1860), comprising over 45,000 artworks showcasing Quebec, Canadian heritage, and international art.
The Montréal Science Centre is situated in the heart of Old Port of Montréal and attracted 416 children of Canoo members. The centre includes interactive, innovative, and educational activities and creates a scientific space filled with fun and wonder.
Quebec: Top 5 Places Visited
Quebec: Top 3 Places Children Visited
A network of four museums in Saskatchewan, the Western Development Museum attracted the most Canoo members to learn about the social and economic development of the province.
Since the relaunch of Canoo in May 2022, the Western Development Museum was visited by 69 adults and 103 children.
Saskatchewan: Top 5 Places Visited
Saskatchewan: Top 3 Places Children Visited
As Canoo is evolving and becoming better every day, we hope that these quarterly reports help readers to understand what Canoo is, and get to know some of the partners and services that ultimately bring Canoo to life for newcomers. Stay tuned for Canoo Insights: Part 2 which will be published on December 13th, 2022.
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