Cultural Access Pass is now Canoo
12.10.2016
Canoo (formerly known as the Cultural Access Pass program) is a mobile app that helps new Canadian citizens celebrate their citizenship by providing free admission to over 1400 museums, science […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2025
TORONTO, ON — The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is proud to launch a bold new public awareness campaign: “New Canadians Make All the Difference.” At a time when newcomers are too often blamed for our country’s self-inflicted challenges, this campaign reminds Canadians that immigrants have historically alleviated Canada’s biggest problems and seldom caused them.
For centuries, immigrants have helped Canada overcome its greatest challenges. Before casting blame, we’d do well to reflect on the history of how immigrants have helped this country thrive. That story continues today.
Whether building homes, powering our healthcare system, growing our economy, or improving Canada’s culinary range newcomers have always made — and continue to make — lasting contributions that make Canada a richer, stronger, and more interesting place to live.
This campaign invokes historical anti-immigrant tropes that seem absurd today. Viewers are challenged to interrogate whether contemporary anti-immigration rhetoric are equally absurd.
This campaign has launched coast to coast, with bold visual storytelling featured through very large wild postings in Ottawa, Toronto, and Calgary, and digital banners at 40 Cineplex locations across Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia. It’s a national reminder that the contributions of newcomers aren’t just part of Canada’s past — they’re building our future every day.
Highlights of the campaign include a focus on:
- Irish immigrants, who faced fierce discrimination—even as British subjects— but persevered to build a better future. Today, Canadians of Irish descent include Prime Ministers St. Laurent, Mulroney, Martin, and Carney, and icons like Ryan Reynolds, Shania Twain, and Stompin’ Tom Connors.
- Ukrainian immigrants, once marginalized for their religious and cultural differences, who still transformed the Prairies into one of the world’s most productive breadbaskets. In 2024 alone, non-animal agriculture was a $48 billion industry, employing over 115,000 Canadians.
- Italian immigrants, many of whom arrived after 1945 and faced discrimination rooted in anti-Catholic bias, built the homes that millions of Canadians still live in today. By 1960, one in three Toronto construction workers was Italian. They also helped bring about one of Canada’s favourite pastimes: patio season.
- Newcomers in healthcare, now and in the future, are essential to solving our extreme labour shortages that will only get worse as Canada ages further. Contrary to popular belief, rising immigration is not straining our system. In fact, the number of ER patients hasn’t changed in two decades—it just takes longer to treat them. Immigrants with international credentials could help, if only Canada would let them.
This campaign is more than a history lesson—it’s a contemporary call to action.
“Immigration isn’t just about filling jobs or getting bigger. It’s about talented people dedicating their lives to making Canada ever more extraordinary.,” said Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the ICC. “Just as yesterday’s prejudices seem ridiculous today, our current rhetoric will strike future generations as absurd. Immigrants leave Canada stronger – yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”
For more about the ICC’s campaign, educational resources, and opportunities for Canadians to learn, share, and support the cause, visit www.thedifferencemakers.ca.
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About
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship works for a Canada where immigrants don’t just come, but stay, become citizens, succeed, and make Canada stronger, richer, and more interesting.
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 830,000 newcomer members. All recent permanent residents and new citizens can join Canoo by downloading the app for free.
For more about the app and the growing list of benefits for Canoo members, please visit https://canoo.ca/.
Media Contacts
ICC / Canoo: media@forcitizenship.ca
Digital Posters Displayed at Cineplex
Wild Posting [Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary]
