On Tuesday, June 18, 2019, 40 recipients stood in the Great Hall at the York Region Administrative Centre and took a solemn oath.

"I swear
That I will be faithful
And bear true allegiance
To Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth the Second
Queen of Canada
Her Heirs and Successors
And that I will faithfully observe
The laws of Canada
And fulfil my duties
As a Canadian citizen."

York Region, in partnership with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada, welcomed recipients from 16 different countries as they took the final step to becoming Canadian citizens.

The Oath of Citizenship is a solemn declaration that citizenship recipients who have been granted citizenship must take, promising to obey Canadian laws while fulfilling their duties as Canadian citizens. The Oath of Citizenship is recited at a citizenship ceremony and the ceremony is the final legal step to becoming a Canadian citizen. Over the last 10 years, Canada has welcomed nearly 1.7 million new Canadians.

York Region is recognized as a diverse and growing community that welcomes newcomers. With one of the largest diverse immigrant populations in Canada, York Region residents speak over 120 different languages and come from more than 230 distinct ethnic backgrounds.