February 2007
The idea for DiverseCity is born at the Toronto City Summit Alliance’s “Making Big Things Happen” Toronto Summit, where 600 Greater Toronto Area (GTA) leaders call for a collective effort to diversify leadership to help the GTA better achieve, excel and prosper.
May 2007 – September 2007
Maytree and Toronto City Summit Alliance consult with more than 40 leaders representing a range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, industries and sectors.
October-November 2007
Maytree and Toronto City Summit Alliance staff continue to refine and develop the rationale, goals, and activities of the Toronto Leadership Project, which is subsequently branded “DiverseCity.”
A formal partnership is established between Maytree and the Toronto City Summit Alliance.
March 2008
The Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration comes on board as a major supporter for the three-year initiative.
First meeting of the Steering Committee, led by Co-Chairs Ratna Omidvar and David Pecaut, is held. Steering Committee members propose an additional dialogue-driven initiative, DiverseCity Perspectives.
April 2008
The initial School4Civics program begins training 30 participants to run for political office and/or manage political campaigns.
November 2008
More than 200 guests and extensive media attend the public launch of DiverseCity and the release of its Conference Board of Canada research paper, “The Value of Diverse Leadership.”
Call goes out for the first DiverseCity Fellows’ applications.
DiverseCity Voices begins with an environmental scan, consultations with program advisors and the design of a database to connect qualified speakers with the media.
January 2009
DiverseCity joins forces with the Canadian Club to host the DiverseCity Partner Launch event announcing over 100 organizational partners to a capacity audience of 600.
February 2009
DiverseCity Fellows are selected and begin the inaugural program.
March 2009
School4Civics participants are selected and begin the first full length program.
DiverseCity Voices launches with 65 subject area experts prepared to speak to media.
April 2009
Inaugural Nexus event is hosted by Cisco Systems Canada. Sixty-five member organizations are represented by one senior executive and a diverse rising executive. Inder Sidhu, Cisco’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales Strategy & Planning, provides the keynote address.
May 2009
The first DiverseCity Counts report is released at Ryerson University and is covered extensively by the media.
September 2009
The DiverseCity Project is launched in York region at the Varley Gallery in Markham with 150 people attending.
DiverseCity onBoard, the roster of board candidates for public and nonprofit boards, accepts its 1,000th applicant.
November 2009
The second DiverseCity Nexus event is hosted by the Toronto Board of Trade and features Noëlle Richardson, Chief Diversity Officer for the Ontario Public Service moderating a conversation between Dr. Alok Mukherjee, Chair Toronto Police Service Board, and Deputy Chief Peter Sloly.
DiverseCity Partners meet at the Ontario Medical Association to network, share ideas and hear about DiverseCity’s progress to date. Frances Lankin (United Way Toronto), Naomi Shaw (Scotiabank) and Adam Vaughan (City of Toronto Appointments) speak to the value of diverse leadership and the efforts undertaken by their organizations.
February 2010
John Tory accepts the role of Co-Chair of DiverseCity.
Diversity in Governance Awards recognizes United Way Toronto and Women’s College Hospital for embracing diversity in board governance and making it a priority to seek out board members from diverse backgrounds.
May 2010
The Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, delivers the keynote address at a Nexus/Canadian Club luncheon for a capacity crowd of 700.
June 2010
The second DiverseCity Counts research report is released at the Design Exchange with a first-ever look at media leadership.
The Nexus finale is hosted by KPMG and features Deepak Chopra, President of Pitney Bowes Canada & Latin America.
July 2010
DiverseCity Perspectives launches.
November 2010
DiverseCity onBoard reaches 500 appointments of diverse candidates to agencies, boards, commissions or committees in the public and nonprofit sectors.