A History of Diversity at TD


TD supports diversity, in fact it's a central part of our history.

  1. 1855 - Incorporation of the Bank of Toronto

  2. 1869 - The Dominion Bank is established and opened for business in 1871

  3. 1890 - The earliest record of a female employee in TD's Canadian history appears in a personnel ledger, which shows a Miss Elliott employed as a clerk. At the time women represented approximately 11% of the workforce in Canada; however they were predominantly employed in fields such as domestic service and teaching. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, women at the Bank worked in roles such as stenographers and as telephone switchboard operators.

  4. 1914-1918 - The First World War radically altered the Bank's work force. Up to this point female employees had been performing jobs which were not customer facing; however, as men left the Bank to serve in the Armed Forces, women took on some of their roles, including at the counter as tellers - serving customers directly for the first time.

    The Dominion Bank recognized its clients were increasingly multicultural - demonstrated in this advertisement from 1931, featuring 16 different languages.

  5. 1939-1945 - During the Second World War as approximately half the staff, including more than 45 women, left to serve in the Armed Forces, the Bank hired women to take on even more roles and by the end of the war more than half the total employees were female.

  6. 1955 - The Bank of Toronto and Dominion Bank merged to form TD.

    For many years TD's slogan was the "Bank Where People Make the Difference". In order to provide the best in banking service, TD's work force reflected the communities it served.

  7. 1961 - Kathleen Norris and Eleanor Griffith were the first women appointed to the Bank's Inspection Department - not only a first at TD, but a first at any Canadian bank.

  8. 1967 - TD celebrated Canada's Centennial by creating an Inuit Art Collection, in the hope "that through the display of The Bank's collection all Canadians will gain a greater appreciation of the work of artists who are unmistakably and distinctively Canadian."

  9. 1968 - TD's first female branch manager was Margaret Milligan. Milligan joined the Bank in 1948 and later served as manager at several different branches throughout her career.

  10. 1976 - Mona Campbell became the first female elected to the Board of Directors at TD. She was also President of Dover Industries Ltd. and Movisa Securities Ltd.

  11. 1983 - Braille instructions were added to Green Machines.

  12. 1985 - TD formalized its policy on Employment Equity.

  13. 1989 - TD began its annual celebration of National Access Awareness Week.

  14. 1994 - TD appointed its first female Senior Vice President: Ruth Getter became TD's Chief Economist and SVP, Economic Research. Also, in 1994 TD extended employee benefits to same sex partners.

  15. 1996 - TD partnered with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, Inc. and the Saskatchewan Indian Equity Foundation Inc. to form the First Nations Bank of Canada

  16. 1999 - TD won the prestigious Catalyst Award for its "exemplary initiatives to advance women into leadership".

  17. 2004 - A Diversity Leadership Council made up of senior business leaders across TD was established to champion TD's diversity initiatives, which include educational components such as diversity training for people managers.

  18. 2005 - TD showed its support for the LGBTA community by sponsoring Toronto's Pride Parade. Also in 2005, TD launched an employee Pride Network to create opportunities for career development and foster community involvement. Since then, other networks have been created, including the Black Community Network and Chinese Network.

  19. 2009 - TD began featuring people from the LGBT community in its advertising.

  20. 2012 - TD launched its "Make it Better" video to reassure LGBT youth that it gets better and help prevent bullying and youth suicide. Also in 2012, Clint Davis joined TD as the Bank's Vice President of Aboriginal Affairs.


Explore TD's Corporate History

See how TD has transformed the North American banking industry, one community at a time.

  • 1855
    Incorporation of The Bank of Toronto. Canada Permanent Building & Savings Society is also founded, one of Canada's first mortgage companies.

  • 1856
    The Bank of Toronto opens its first branch on Church Street in Toronto.

  • 1860
    The Bank of Toronto opens its first branch outside of Ontario, in Montreal.

  • 1863
    With a staff of 26 and a five branch network, The Bank of Toronto opens its head office at Church & Wellington Streets in Toronto.

  • 1864
    Founding of Huron & Erie, later to become Canada Trust in London, Ontario.

  • 1871
    The Dominion Bank opens its first branch on King Street in Toronto.

  • 1872
    Toronto General Trusts becomes Canada's first trust company.

  • 1897-1899
    The Dominion Bank and The Bank of Toronto begin expanding their branch networks westward, beginning with Winnipeg, MB, in 1897 and Rossland, BC, in 1899.

  • 1901
    Canada Trust begins operations as a subsidiary of Huron & Erie.

  • 1911
    The Dominion Bank opens its first international office in London, England.

  • 1913
    The Bank of Toronto opens its new head office at the corner of King and Bay Streets.

  • 1914
    One of Canada's early skyscrapers: The Dominion Bank opens a new head office at the corner of King and Yonge Streets in Toronto.

  • 1919
    The Dominion Bank opens an office in New York City.

  • 1935
    Bank of Canada begins operations. Bank currencies, including those of The Bank of Toronto and The Dominion Bank, begin to be phased out.

  • 1944
    Serving the needs of Canada's emerging North: The Bank of Toronto opens its first branch in Yellowknife, NWT.

  • 1955
    The Bank of Toronto and The Dominion Bank merge to form The Toronto-Dominion Bank. The newly formed TD had 449 branches and approximately 4700 employees across Canada, with offices in London, England, and New York City

  • 1962
    An early pioneer in technology: TD purchases its first computer system.

  • 1967
    TD celebrates Canada's Centennial by establishing an Inuit Art Collection. Toronto's TD Tower opens, designed by Mies van der Rohe.

  • 1969
    TD introduces its new corporate identity, including the TD Shield as a symbol of the growing, modern bank.

  • 1970s
    TD becomes an increasingly international bank with offices and major project financing around the world.

  • 1976
    TD introduces its ATM, the Green Machine, and Canada Trust extends its hours: "Eight to Eight, Six Days Straight".

  • 1984
    Meeting the needs of self-service investors: Green Line Investor Services discount brokerage is established.

  • 1987
    Toronto Dominion Securities Inc. is established to provide corporate, treasury and investment banking services to corporate clients.

  • 1990
    Canada Trust creates Friends of the Environment Foundation.

  • 1992
    TD acquires the assets of Central Guaranty Trust.

  • 1993
    TD Evergreen - a full service brokerage launches.

  • 1996
    TD acquires Waterhouse Investor Services Inc. WebBroker, the first Internet brokerage service in Canada was also introduced.

  • 2000
    TD and Canada Trust join forces with a shared philosophy of delivering a comfortable banking experience.

  • 2005
    TD celebrates its 150th anniversary. Also in 2005, TD acquires 51% of Banknorth.

  • 2008
    TD acquires Commerce Bancorp and integrates it with TD Banknorth to form TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank. Also in 2008, TD is the first Canadian bank to appoint a Chief Environment Officer to lead the Bank's environmental portfolio and initiatives.

  • 2011
    TD acquires Chrysler Financial and MBNA Canada's credit card business. TD Canada Trust extends its convenient hours by opening hundreds of branches across the country on Sundays.


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