Almost forty years ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama made an official request to the international community for help. Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau responded with an offer to assist 228 Tibetan refugees, under the Tibetan Refugee Program, in an effort to alleviate crowding of the refugee camps of northern India. Today more than 5000 Tibetans call Canada their home.  
 
Upon adjusting to the new way of life and settling into this multicultural country, Tibetans sensed an increasing need to sustain their culture and heritage. In 1978 The Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario (CTAO) was formed under the approval and guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. On March 5, 1980, the Association was formally registered and incorporated under the Ontario Corporations Act as a non-porfit organziation within the Province of Ontario.
 
The Tibetan Administration in Exile recognizes the Association as a formal organization, which acts as an official establishment, representing all Tibetans in the province of Ontario with the majority of members residing in the Toronto area. It serves the needs of the growing community and acts a as a liaison between the community and the North American Office of the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New York.
 
The Association, sustained entirely by members of the Tibetan community, encompasses a mission to promote the rights of all individuals. In particular it encourages Tibetan Canadians to fully and equally participate in Canadian society. CTAO promotes cross-cultural understanding and friendships with its diverse neighbours through voluntary participation, networking, education and awareness projects, which in essence foster tolerance and mutual respect.
 
Another major role of the Association is that of carving a path for the younger generations of Tibetans whether they were born here or abroad. The Association assists newcomers in adjusting to their new country, while maintaining the common interests of its community members to keep their culture and traditions alive and flourishing.