The Organizers

The Toronto Chinese Business Association ( TCBA ) was founded in 1972. This prestigious not-for-profit organization looks after the economic well being of Chinese Canadian businesses and acts as representatives in liaison with all levels of Government.

TCBA is a major force in promoting and assisting corporations to tap into the Chinese markets and is always helping Chinese Canadian businesses to reach out to the mainstream. In the past 37 years, it has played a significant role of building bridges between the Chinese business community and all multicultural communities.

TCBA started the annual Dragon Boat Race Festival in 1989 to promote the tradition and sport of dragon boating, and to enhance awareness of Asian and Chinese Canadian culture and cross-cultural understanding. The concept of a dragon boat race festival was first initiated by a Hong Kong councilor visiting TCBA in 1987. The idea was warmly embraced by TCBA as a great way to promote Chinese culture to Canadians, at a perfect timing when Toronto saw a dramatic influx of Chinese immigrants. After a good year’s preparation, including the purchase of 6 dragons boats from Hong Kong, the first dragon boat race festival was launched in June 1989, with 27 teams competing in the races.

The Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival (TIDBRF) was incorporated in 1993 as a not-for-profit organization. Working shoulder to shoulder with the Toronto Chinese Business Association, TIDBRF has evolved into an organization that strives to:

• provide an annual non-profit festival to promote the spirit of multiculturalism in Canada;
• share the tradition of dragon boat racing with Canada’s diverse communities;
• promote tourism to Toronto from other parts of the world and to strengthen Toronto’s economy;
• raise community awareness of the beneficial effects of sports on the healthy development of children and youths;
• raise profile of water-sports and increase the opportunity for people who are mentally and physically challenged;
• promote volunteerism generally for the benefit of the community-at-large by encouraging young people to become or remain active volunteers.