In Canada particularly, diversity is an important aspect of our community involvement. Why the emphasis on diversity? It’s a major business focus for TD: we are working hard at recruiting and building a workforce from the widest possible talent pool, as well as serving a customer base that is reflective of our communities. Given the significance of diversity within our organization, we also want to serve as an example to others. That’s why we support diversity initiatives in the community.

• Visible Minorities and Diverse Communities
• Women
• Persons with Disabilities
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Community
• Aboriginal Community

Visible Minorities and Diverse Communities

• As part of our three-year commitment to The Mentoring Partnership developed by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, TD is aiding recent arrivals to Canada to overcome the obstacles to rebuilding their careers. As part of our $540,000 pledge to this volunteer driven organization, TD employees have developed more than 300 mentoring relationships with program participants, and 34 employees have counselled more than one new Canadian job-seeker. Since joining in 2005, TD has been recognized as the organization’s most active corporate partner.
• With the philosophy that appreciation of one’s past can help raise a community’s pride, self-confidence and success today and tomorrow, TD has collaborated with organizations such as the Ontario Black History Society and Black History Month Association of Nova Scotia to host commemorative luncheons, music and dance celebrations and youth programs such as the prestigious Harry Jerome Awards. TD is also the main sponsor of Historica’s Black History Canada Portal, a unique website and the first of its kind in this country.
• In our continued effort to reach out to the Korean and South Asian communities, TD has sponsored festivals from coast to coast that expose this community’s rich cultural traditions to people of all backgrounds. In 2007, we were the presenting sponsor of the Korean Heritage Day Festival in Vancouver, the TD Canada Trust Festival of South Asia in Toronto and Global Fest in Calgary, with activities ranging from music and dance to food and art exhibitions.
• To assist young Somali immigrants in the Lewiston and Portland Maine communities, the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation provided a USD $10,000 grant to underwrite the production of an English/Somali language primer and dictionary used by the Maine Community Foundation’s Compact for Learning.
• To embrace the large and culturally rich Spanish-speaking community in the northeastern United States, TD Banknorth sponsored the 32nd Annual New Jersey Hispanic-American Parade. Some 30 floats, 200,000 people and 250 groups — including a TD Banknorth group — representing 21 countries paraded from North Bergen to Union City, New Jersey.

Women

For women in our society, we encourage support and advancement opportunities:

• As one example, in 2007 TD was title sponsor of the Women in Leadership Speaker Series, run by the Women in Leadership Foundation. The speaker series showcases women role models in various sectors and acknowledges their contributions to the community and industry. In addition to sponsoring the speaker series, TD provided keynote speakers and panelists at events across the country.
• In 2007, TD expanded its role with the Women’s Executive Network (WXN). We are a gold level sponsor of the WXN – Wisdom Mentoring program and provide TD executives as mentors for WXN members. TD is also the lead sponsor for the WXN Women’s Executive Forum.

Persons with Disabilities

For persons with disabilities, our primary focus has been on cultivating employment opportunities:

• TD initiated and led a successful follow up community outreach conference called Ability First for employees in London, Ontario, bringing together employers and support agencies from the London community to exchange ideas on how to better access labour market talent. Over 200 participants attended the fall 2007 conference, and its success has led to conferences planned for Edmonton and Fredericton.
• In 2007, we supported the development of a Web portal by the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres. It will assist Canadians with disabilities in their efforts to find employment as well as resources and tools to enable increased participation in their communities.
• TD is the presenting provincial sponsor of the Canadian Paraplegic Association’s Ontario No Limits Wheelchair Relay Challenge that takes place in 10 Ontario communities every fall. TD provides wheelchair relay teams and a corporate donation, and employees fundraise for the annual community events.
• TD Securities USA was a silver sponsor of the 2007 charity golf outing benefiting Autism Speaks. The organization’s goal is to change the future for all who suffer from autism spectrum disorders.
• Through the purchase of a company-wide order of TD Banknorth holiday cards with LIFE Inc., a non-profit group supporting independent living for adults with learning challenges, two jobs were created in the company’s printing and operation area.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) Community TD continues to demonstrate its commitment to offering an inclusive and welcoming environment for the GLBT population:

• We support annual Pride celebrations in major Canadian centres, including Montreal’s Divers/Cité festival, Vancouver’s Davie Day and Toronto’s Pride Week. For the latter event, TD served as official bank, sponsor of the main arts stage and supporter of the event’s extensive volunteer programs, with the help of TD employees who take part in the TD Employee Pride Network.
• In addition, TD contributes to programs for people affected by AIDS/HIV. For example, in 2007 we stepped up our sponsorship of SNAP!, a photography auction and competition organized by the AIDS Committee of Toronto, and Maskarade, the masquerade ball fundraiser in Montreal spearheaded by the Farha Foundation. TD’s increased funding allowed the groups to expand these events.

Aboriginal Community

We have a long tradition of supporting Aboriginal communities in Canada through programs and sponsorships geared to promote economic development, self-sufficiency and job opportunities. For example:

• Supporting the Foundation for the Advancement of Aboriginal Youth, TD continues to fund six Aboriginal Youth Scholarships between $2,000 and $2,500.
• TD Waterhouse sponsored The Aboriginal Trust and Investment Workshop held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan last year. The theme of the three-day event was building economic stability for Aboriginal communities with investment strategies for a prosperous future.