VIA Rail Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) have collaborated to provide new Canadian citizens, who are members of the ICC’s Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program, with a one-time, exclusive travel offer: a 50 per cent discount on the lowest available fare, any class, one way or 

round trip, no blackout periods, for CAP members and up to four of their children under the age of 18.

The Cultural Access Pass program fosters inclusion, introducing our country’s newest citizens to Canadian culture and experiences by providing them (and their children) a year of free access to more than 1,000 Canadian attractions from museums and historic sites to national and provincial parks (even offering access to volunteer and employment resources).

Any person who has received his/her Canadian citizenship within the last 365 days and is 18 years of age or older is eligible to join CAP. With an average of almost 100 registrations per day, more than 50,000 new citizens have become Cultural Access Pass members. 

“We are thrilled to join the Institute for Canadian Citizenship to bring train travel to our newest fellow Canadians,” said VIA Rail President and CEO, Marc Laliberté. “Travelling by train is a truly unique experience, one that connects travelers with Canada’s historical, cultural and natural beauty. We look forward to welcoming many new Canadian citizens on board as they discover all of the wonderful experiences this country has to offer.”

VIA Rail’s significant travel offer complements the Cultural Access Pass’s ability to engage new Canadian citizens with their country by discovering many of its remarkable attractions. With services from Vancouver to Halifax, VIA Rail connects some 450 communities across the country, giving CAP members plenty of travel experiences to choose from.  

“Our relationship with VIA Rail is a dream come true to someone like me who was once a new Canadian wishing to discover a new country,” said The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s CoFounder and Co-Chair. “The opportunity it presents for our Cultural Access Pass members is truly wonderful.” 

The Cultural Access Pass is introduced to every new Canadian citizen at the time of their citizenship ceremony (approximately 170,000 people per year). As the diversity and value of CAP experiences increase, so too will the pace and rate of new registrations - this year alone, the ICC estimates an additional 35,000 new members.

Details about the Cultural Access Pass program, including the list of participating attractions as well as full details about the VIA Rail Canada offer, can be found at www.culturalaccesspass.ca.