RBC renews its support of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship's
Cultural Access Program
TORONTO, March 6, 2013 /CNW/ - RBC today announced a $300,000 commitment
to the Institute for Canadian Citizenship's (ICC) Cultural Access Pass
program, helping new Canadian citizens explore our country's cultural
attractions for free. RBC has committed more than $575,000 to the
program during the past four years.
The Cultural Access Pass (CAP) is a gift to Canada's newest citizens and
their children, offering a year of free access to almost 1,200 museums,
historic sites, national and provincial parks across the country. It
introduces new citizens to a variety of Canadian experiences, including
access to online volunteer and employment resources. And, CAP helps
Canada's cultural attractions connect with a new audience to build
future ambassadors, volunteers and potential donors.
"We believe in the power of communities and the individuals who live in
them," Shari Austin, vice-president, Corporate Citizenship, RBC. "The
Cultural Access Pass creates a great opportunity to connect new
citizens to a wealth of Canadian cultural places, spaces and
experiences. We're proud to partner with the Institute for Canadian
Citizenship to welcome new citizens and celebrate Canadian
citizenship."
With RBC's support, the Cultural Access Pass has experienced a
tremendous expansion:
-
Its roster of attractions has increased from 127 to almost 1,200;
-
More than 60,000 new citizens have participated in the program - 168 new
citizens once registered in a single day;
-
With additional support from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (ICC's
other key partner), every new citizen - 170,000 each year - is now
introduced to CAP at their citizenship ceremony
"Since 2008, the RBC Foundation has been a champion of our Cultural
Access Pass program," said Leith Bishop, Acting Executive Director,
Institute for Canadian Citizenship. "Its support has empowered us to
build a truly national program that touches each and every new Canadian
citizen, as well as our attractions who are eager to foster long term
relationships with members. RBC shares our passion for inclusion, and
we look forward to having them in our corner for the next three years
and beyond."
Who is eligible for a Cultural Access Pass?
A new citizen becomes eligible for a Cultural Access Pass the day he/she
receives his/her Canadian citizenship. New citizens must be 18 years of
age or older to participate, but each member can use his/her pass with
up to four minor dependent children (under 18 years of age). The pass
is valid for one year, expiring on the first anniversary of a member's
date of citizenship (not the date of registration). Members can visit
any participating attraction as many times as he/she wishes during
their year of eligibility.
Visit culturalaccesspass.ca for full details.
ABOUT THE ICC
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is a national, non-profit
charity that promotes active citizenship. Through innovative programs
and partnerships, the ICC works to ensure new citizens are welcomed and
included as equals, create meaningful connections among all Canadians,
foster a culture of engaged citizens and celebrate what it means to be
Canadian. Our Building Citizenship program welcomes and connects new
citizens by hosting community-led citizenship ceremonies across Canada.
Our Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program introduces new citizens to
Canadian experiences by offering a year of free access to almost 1,200
attractions from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The LaFontaine-Baldwin
Symposium, our intellectual platform, is a national, interactive
lecture on citizenship. And ICC Insights, our partner-focused
initiative, brings new citizen voices to national conversations through
collaborative projects. The ICC was founded and is co-chaired by the
Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul, and is
supported by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). For more
information, visit icc-icc.ca. You can also follow us on Twitter @ICCICC).
ABOUT RBC COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries operate
under the master brand name RBC. We employ approximately 80,000 full-
and part-time employees who serve more than 15 million personal,
business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in
Canada, the U.S. and 49 other countries. RBC is recognized among the
world's financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on
the 2012 - 2013 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the DJSI North
American Index, the Jantzi Social Index and the FTSE4Good Index. RBC is
one of Canada's Greenest Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most Socially
Responsible Corporations and among the Global 100 Most Sustainable
Corporations in the World.
RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations,
sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2012, we contributed
more than $95 million to causes worldwide, including donations and
community investments of more than $64 million and $31 million in
sponsorships.
SOURCE: Institute for Canadian Citizenship
