Toronto Celebrates Newcomer Day as Thousands Gather at Nathan Phillips Square
Toronto Newcomer Day 2026 brings together thousands to celebrate diversity, citizenship and community connections
TORONTO — Thousands of residents gathered at Nathan Phillips Square on Friday as the City of Toronto celebrated its 12th annual Toronto Newcomer Day, recognizing the contributions of immigrants and newcomers who help shape the city’s communities, economy and culture.
Mayor Olivia Chow officially proclaimed May 29 as Newcomer Day in Toronto and joined Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik at the event, which featured cultural performances, community exhibits, information booths and a citizenship ceremony.
The annual celebration has become Toronto’s largest event dedicated to welcoming newcomers and connecting them with services and resources available throughout the city.
More than 125 organizations participate
This year’s Toronto Newcomer Day brought together more than 125 exhibitors offering information and support services for newcomers to Canada.
Organizations provided resources related to:
- Settlement services
- Employment counselling
- Education and training
- Health and mental health programs
- Legal services
- Housing and shelter supports
- Youth and family programs
- Accessibility services
The event also featured a food fair, marketplace and cultural showcases representing Toronto’s diverse communities.
Citizenship ceremony welcomes 50 new Canadians
As part of the celebrations, the Government of Canada hosted a citizenship ceremony inside Toronto City Hall, where 50 individuals officially took the oath of citizenship.
Councillor Neethan Shan attended the ceremony on behalf of Toronto City Council and delivered remarks welcoming the new citizens.
The ceremony highlighted one of the central themes of Newcomer Day — celebrating the journeys of people who have chosen Toronto as their home.
Cultural performances showcase Toronto’s diversity
The event featured a lineup of performers representing a variety of cultures and artistic traditions.
Performances included:
- JUNO Award-winning musician Tom Wilson
- Buffalo Charging Drummers, an Indigenous youth drumming group
- Iranian contemporary musician Bahar Atish
- Massyr Ensemble, featuring music from across the Arab world
The performances reflected Toronto’s multicultural identity and the cultural contributions newcomers bring to the city.
Toronto continues to welcome newcomers
Toronto was among the first municipalities in Canada to establish an official Newcomer Day when it launched the initiative in 2015.
Since then, more than 75,000 people have participated in the annual celebration.
Attendance has continued to grow, rising from approximately 2,000 participants during the inaugural event to more than 10,000 attendees annually since 2022.
According to the City, approximately 52 per cent of Toronto residents were born outside Canada, making Toronto one of the most diverse cities in the world.
Mayor Olivia Chow said the event is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions newcomers make while connecting them with programs and services that help them build successful lives in the city.
Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik noted that newcomers continue to play an important role in shaping Toronto’s neighbourhoods, economy and cultural life.
Toronto Newcomer Day is supported by presenting partner President’s Choice and sponsors including Rogers Communications, Metrolinx, Tim Hortons, IKEA Canada and New Canadians TV, with additional support from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
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