Did you become a Canadian citizen between December 19th, 2020 and July 6th, 2021? If so, this information applies to you:
IRCC created an app called Canoo for new citizens to use, offering 1 year membership which includes free admission to various parks, art galleries, museums etc. across Canada.
Please see the following excerpt of the email we received from IRCC:
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is pleased to share information about a free gift from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship to new citizens:
Celebrate your citizenship with Canoo!
Congratulations on achieving your Canadian citizenship!
While COVID-19 has made celebrations a challenge, we are pleased to tell you about an opportunity that you can participate in from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).
The ICC is a national charity that works to encourage active citizenship and build a more inclusive Canada. They built an app specifically for you – to celebrate your first year as a Canadian citizen! Canoo is a free mobile app that offers new citizens like you a year of free admission to nearly 1400 museums, science centres, art galleries, and parks across Canada. When appropriate to do so, the app offers free admission for yourself and up to four children, every time you visit! All you need to create your account is your citizenship certificate.
We know it’s hard to plan for when you might be able to visit these cultural spaces again but don’t worry. You can activate your free Canoo membership at any point during your first year of citizenship. If you have your citizenship certificate with you, we recommend that you download Canoo now from the App Store or Google Play and set up your account so you don’t forget – then, be sure to activate your membership within your first year of citizenship to start using the free access to in-person visits.
Do you have your citizenship certificate with you?
- If yes, great! Download Canoo from the App Store or Google Play to create your free account!
- Once in-person visits are permitted in your area, activate your membership!* You’ll receive a year of free admission to nearly 1400 venues across Canada!
- If no, that’s okay. Once you receive your citizenship certificate in the mail, you’ll be able to download Canoo and create your free account!
- Once in-person visits are permitted in your area, activate your membership! Visit www.inclusion.ca/new-citizen to get started!
*Once you’ve downloaded the Canoo app and registered, you have until the first anniversary of your citizenship ceremony to activate your membership. You must activate your membership in order to use the Canoo app to gain free admission to venues. If you register on the Canoo app but do not activate your membership, on the first anniversary of your citizenship ceremony your membership will activate automatically. Once activated, your membership is valid for one year (365 days) and cannot be unactivated. Please note that only those who are 18 years of age or older are able to create a Canoo membership. Children under 18 can accompany parents and get free admission through a parent’s membership. Please note as well that Canoo benefits at this time only provide free admission for in-person experiences, and not for virtual products/services offered by participating spaces. Many cultural spaces across the country are offering amazing free virtual experiences, like online exhibits or virtual tours, so be sure to take a look at the websites of cultural spaces to see what they offer!
Get more information about Canoo at inclusion.ca/new-citizen. You can also get in touch with the ICC through their online Help Centre.
Thank you to the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) for this generous gift to all new Canadian citizens. Canoo is just one of the programs offered by the ICC. Click here to learn more about their charitable work.
Congratulations again! Welcome home!