Toronto, ON, February 25, 2015 – At an event hosted by Cisco Canada, the award-winning DiverseCity onBoard program opened a new chapter in the evolution of this small yet practical local idea. The program will now be available in six additional cities across Canada: Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

His Worship Mayor John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, the Honourable Mitzie Hunter, Associate Minister of Finance of Ontario, and Sheldon Levy, President, Ryerson University, all steadfast champions of the initiative, addressed an audience of 150 guests from the private, public and voluntary sectors. They recognized the tremendous growth of the program as a signal that diverse leadership is a necessity to strengthen the governance bodies of public and private institutions across the country.

“Diversity in Canada is on the rise and it is one of Canada’s greatest strengths,” said Ratna Omidvar, Executive Director, Global Diversity Exchange. “Yet, while our cities and urban regions have become more ethnically and racially diverse over time, their leadership, be it political, social, cultural, or economic is still a reflection of the ‘old Canada.’ Capitalizing on our immense talent pool is an imperative for today’s non-profit, public and corporate boards. DiverseCity onBoard is a nimble solution to bridge the diversity gap in governance.”

“Diversity in the workplace and immigrant inclusion and entrepreneurship are key foci for TRSM’s strategic plan and vision. Therefore, we are very pleased to have DiverseCity onBoard as part of the Ted Rogers School of Management – there’s a natural synergy,” commented Dr. Steven Murphy, Dean, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University.

Now housed at the Global Diversity Exchange within the Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University, DiverseCity onBoard works towards ensuring that the governance bodies of Canadian agencies, boards and commissions more closely reflect the lived reality of the community. Started in Toronto by Maytree in 2006, the program has successfully matched more than 720 qualified professionals, entrepreneurs, social workers, administrators and marketers from visible minority and under-represented communities with hospitals, museums and the voluntary sector.

Having adopted a social enterprise model with a new board matching database and the DiverseCity onBoard Campus, the national program will offer affordable, quality online governance training to all individuals and sectors across Canada.

Learn more about DiverseCity onBoard programs and training online.

Enjoy the DiverseCity onBoard welcome video:

For more information,  contact [email protected], or use the online form to tell us what you need.