TD and Vancouver Pride Society present 2010 Pride Parade & Festival

VANCOUVER, July 27 /CNW/ - Green wig: check, parade float: check, green Pride beads: double check! With days to go before the formal launch of Pride Week in Vancouver, TD is putting the finishing touches on preparations to be Vancouver Pride's newest Presenting Sponsor.

"Every year, TD supports the LGBT community by sponsoring and participating in Pride parades, festivals and events across the country and we're excited to add Vancouver's Pride festivities to our line-up," said Raymond Chun, Senior Vice President, Pacific Region, TD Canada Trust. "TD welcomes customers from the LGBT community and we aim to make our locations more friendly and supportive." 

As this is TD's first year sponsoring Vancouver Pride, the company has lined up a number of exciting activities to show its pride colours and the diversity of its employees and customers. These activities include opportunities to connect with TD and will begin with a colourful TD Pride Parade float, complete with enthusiastic employees. The TD Festival Stage will also host a variety of performers, who will entertain thousands of festival attendees.

Other activities during Pride will include:

• An opportunity to win a trip to your favourite destination courtesy of TD First Class Travel VISA INFINITE Card
• A photo booth featuring the TD drag queen. Visitors will get a photo and commemorative Pride/VISA photo frame
• A booth on Sunset Beach on Parade Day (Aug. 1) with information about employment opportunities and TD's involvement in the community

TD welcomes customers from the LGBT community and we do this by providing unique products and services to meet specific customer needs. In July 2009, TD Waterhouse put together Financial Planning Considerations for Same Sex Couples, a wealth-planning resource to assist advisers, planners and branch employees when having important financial planning discussions with LGBT customers.

TD also aims to be an employer of choice for the LGBT community so our workforce more closely represents our customer base. Recently, TD was recognized in the top 10 of the Most Gay Friendly Corporations in the World by the International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The organization's annual International Business Equality Index measures the performance of corporations in relation to diversity and inclusion in countries where they have offices. TD is the only Canadian company to be included on the list.

Vancouver Pride is one of Canada's premier celebrations of culture and diversity. It is the largest celebration of the lesbian, gay bi-sexual and transgendered community in Western Canada and is one of the leading events of its kind in the world. This year's Pride Parade and Festival in Vancouver is expected to attract more than 600,000 spectators and TD plans to make a big, green splash!

For further information:

Jeff Meerman
TD
604.654.0324
[email protected]

Matthew Cram
TD
416.983.1514
[email protected]

Caryl Dolinko
Vancouver Pride Society
604.687.0955
[email protected]