TD has renewed its partnership with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) to serve as the principal sponsor and official bank of the Juno Awards, marking its fourteenth consecutive year of partnership.

The renewed sponsorship will feature additional initiatives aimed at improving both the artist and fan experience of the Canadian Music Awards, according to the brand.

For the first time, TD will present the Junos Debut Program, a platform designed to support and build a community among first-time award contenders, allowing them to feel more secure and prepared for the event. The brand will also launch the TD Stage at the Let’s Hear it Live Juno Block Party, three days of concerts featuring local artists and Juno nominees; TD Priority Line Access, which provides TD credit card holders with faster access to the venue; and TD Backstage Pass content, which gives people who ar watching the awards from home the feeling of being in the front row.

In addition, TD will continue its sponsorship of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, presenting this year’s induction and performance of Canadian punk rock band Sum 41 during awards broadcast.

The 54th annual Juno Awards and Juno Week will be held in Vancouver from March 27 to 30, culminating with the awards on March 30 at the Rogers Arena. The event will be broadcast live on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, and CBC Listen. The national pubcaster renewed its exclusive broadcast and content partnership deal with CARAS for five years in 2023.

The renewal of TD’s agreement with CARAS comes at a time when the country’s festivals are facing a critical moment due to the loss of major sponsors. Last year, Netflix stopped sponsoring several development programs at Canadian arts institutions in response to the government’s Bill C-11, better known as the Streaming Online Act. Scotiabank also ended its sponsorship of Toronto’s Contact Photography Festival after more than a decade of collaboration. This came after Bell announced in 2023 that it would be ending its sponsorship of the Toronto International Film Festival after a 28-year relationship.

Other festivals have been also forced to cease operations and restructure, including Toronto’s Just for Laughs comedy festival, which was scheduled to take place in September 2024 but was cancelled after event organizers announced they were restructuring their operations.