From left, Ottawa Board of Trade president and CEO Sueling Ching, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, RBC regional president Devinder Gill and emcee Grace Xin at the RBC Lunar New Year gala dinner, held at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Galloping into the Year of the Fire Horse: RBC celebrates Lunar New Year
Royal Bank of Canada — the country’s largest bank — rang in the Lunar New Year at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, welcoming community leaders, employees and clients for an evening of food, cultural performances and prizes.
2026 is the Year of the Horse, specifically the fire horse, which blends the animal’s reputation for energy and independence with the intensity and passion of fire.
“I think right now in these interesting times in our country, we could use a little bit of energy and perseverance, with everything that’s going on in the world,” said Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, speaking at the podium. “We know that these qualities are going to serve us well.”
Ottawa is celebrating 200 years, said the mayor, telling his audience: “I know if you compare that to Chinese civilization, that’s not a very long time; we’re new, but we have a lot to be proud of in the City of Ottawa, and our Chinese community is a big part of the story of our history. You’ve contributed so much to our community and we are a stronger city because of everything you’ve done.”
Sutcliffe proudly identifies with the local Asian community. His maternal grandfather was Chinese, and his mother spent the first 19 years of her life in China before moving to Canada. Sutcliffe said he has fond memories of celebrating the Lunar New Year in his household. “It was a big part of growing up for me. This is always a very special time of the year.”
He and RBC’s regional president, Devinder Gill, made a toast together before dinner, with Gill wishing everyone “prosperity, partnership and progress for the year ahead.”
RBC regional president Devinder Gill and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe raised a glass to the Lunar New Year at a celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
RBC regional president Devinder Gill (centre) is surrounded by members of her team at the Lunar New Year dinner the bank hosted at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Grace Xin, vice president of philanthropic services and community building at the Ottawa Community Foundation, kept the evening rolling as emcee. Many may still remember her as the unofficial mayor of Chinatown from when she led the Somerset Street Chinatown BIA.
Another prominent Ottawa leader with cultural ties to China is Sueling Ching, president of the Ottawa Board of Trade. It’s the city’s flagship organization for business advocacy and networking, supporting companies and entrepreneurs from every sector.
Her father came to Canada from Hong Kong at 17, and her grandmother joined the family to help raise the children. “I lived with her for 35 years,” she said with a smile. “Well, she thought I was living with her, and I thought she was living with me.”
Ching spoke about what an honour it was to be in attendance, calling the dinner “a true reminder of what makes our business community so special.”
Said Ching: “It is a moment rooted in tradition and family but also one of possibility. And that balance — honouring where we come from while building what comes next — really reflects the spirit of Ottawa’s business community.”
She also touched on the image of the fire horse, with its energy, determination and forward momentum. “I love that image because it speaks to the qualities that we see every day from the people in this room; leaders who are willing to boldly work hard and keep going, even when the path is not easy.”
The evening featured a captivating cultural lion dance, with performers parading from the stage into the audience, filling the room with energy, and culminating in an eye-dotting ceremony to empower the lions to bring protection, good luck, health and prosperity. As part of the presentation, the lions “eat” lettuce before spitting, or more like tossing it back out, toward the audience as a symbol of wealth and good fortune to those watching.
There was also a traditional face-changing performance featuring a brightly coloured costume and several masks that changed in the blink of an eye, sometimes with the help of audience members, before finally revealing the performer’s true face.
During the traditional lion dance, performers moved right among the audience, bringing the show to life. Photo by Caroline Phillips
James Nguyen, co-founder and CEO of Quantropi, and Arief Raun from Otto’s Group at the Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Performers paraded their way to the stage in colourful lion costumes at the Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Rosa Yip, Ken Yip and Grace Xin, vice president of philanthropic services and community building at the Ottawa Community Foundation, at the RBC Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Devinder Gill, regional president of RBC, and Mayor Mark Sutcliffe helped with the traditional eye-dotting ceremony to empower the lions to fulfill their duties of bringing about protection, good luck, health and prosperity to those present. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Dave Walsh, managing partner of KPMG, alongside Ottawa Board of Trade (OBoT) president and CEO Sueling Ching and Kara Higdon, director of business and community partnerships at OBoT, at the RBC Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Tim Thomas, law partner at Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall; RBC vice president of commercial financial services Jonathan Sullivan; Dianna Larkin, managing partner at McCay Duff LLP; Maral Chukhalkhuu, investment counsellor at RBC Wealth Management; and Daniel Thiruganaratnapathy, vice president of mid-market commercial at RBC, at the RBC Lunar New Year Celebration. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Devinder Gill, regional president of RBC, welcomes attendees to the RBC Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The audience took in a face-changing performance as part of the cultural entertainment during the Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Daniel Fong, president of Eastern Ontario Toishan Association, and ShuLai Fong at the RBC Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Joanne Jacques, regional president, integrated markets, at RBC, offers up lettuce to one of the lions during their cultural performance at the RBC Lunar New Year celebration. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Yasser Ghazi, vice president of commercial financial services at RBC, and Kara Higdon, director of business and community partnerships at the Ottawa Board of Trade, at the Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Jason Yuasa, regional vice president of RBC Private Banking, was invited to touch the performer’s mask to trigger a magical change during the face-changing performance. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Ottawa realtor Helen Tang, Algonquin College accounting professor Jessica Zhang-Chapman and Sandra Yuk-Sim, department chair of the School of Business and Hospitality at Algonquin College, at the RBC Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Grace Xin from the Ottawa Community Foundation emceed the RBC Lunar New Year celebration held at Infinity Convention Centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Dion Farentino, regional vice president of integrated markets at RBC, alongside RBC financial advisor Catherine Xue and RBC client advisor Chi Nguyen at the Lunar New Year celebration hosted by RBC at Infinity Convention Centre on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The face-changing performance ended with a dramatic grand reveal, as the performer finally unveiled his true face. Photo by Caroline Phillips
This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Syntax Strategic, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.
hello@carolineinthecapital.ca
SHARE THIS STORY
Stay in the know
Get stories + event highlights from the capital delivered to your inbox.
