Fonds F0560 - Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association of Toronto

The Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association (CIBPA) of Toronto was founded in 1952 and incorporated on 21 December 1956 under its original name, the Canadian Italian Businessmen's Association (CIBA). The CIBA of Toronto began under the direction of a small group of Italian-Canadian businessmen and professionals, who included Anthony Andreoli, Sam Benedetto, Joseph D. Carrier, John de Toro, Remo de Carli, Eugenio Faludi, Neldo Lorenzetti, William Morrassutti, Vincent Paul, Sam Sorbara and Suilio Venchiarruti, who was the association's first president. Formed in response to the difficulties facing the large numbers of Italian Canadians in Toronto after World War II, the not-for-profit association assisted with the integration of new immigrants into Canadian society and raised funds for different causes. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the CIBPA Toronto supported the formation and/or development of a number of charitable organizations, including the Italian Immigrant Aid Society (IIAS), the Centro Organizzativo Scuole Tecniche Italiane (COSTI), the Federazione di Associazioni e Club Italiani (FACI), the Italian Canadian Benevolent Corporation (ICBC), the Columbus Centre and the Villa Colombo Home for the Aged, as well as other charitable initiatives. In addition to its fundraising and charitable endeavours, as membership in the CIBPA Toronto grew, the association held monthly dinner meetings, business and professional networking events, and other special events with the aim of promoting business and social interaction between its members and with the wider community, which is the primary focus of the modern CIBPA Toronto.

The CIBPA Toronto is governed by a constitution and by-laws, which detail the association's objectives to "initiate and foster programs and activities for the welfare and betterment of the Italian and Canadian Italian communities, to promote and strengthen the image of the Canadian Italian community within Toronto and Canada, and to initiate and foster social and cultural interest and activities among its members and the Canadian Italian community." The CIBPA Toronto is managed by an elected board of directors comprised of an immediate past president, president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and Ladies' Auxiliary representative. The board of directors oversees a number of permanent committees, including executive, legal, membership and nominating committees, and other rotating committees. CIBPA Toronto membership includes categories for full, youth, student, life, honorary and corporate members. In 1983, the CIBPA Toronto joined CIBPA Montreal to form the National Federation of Canadian Italian Business and Professional Associations, which now includes chapters in Hamilton, Niagara, Halifax, Ottawa, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Windsor, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Windsor and Vancouver.