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Working with our membership, ITAC establishes and sets targets for where Canada's knowledge economy should be compared to key peer/competitor nations. Where we fall short, ITAC determines what we need to do to get there and ensure we do what is needed in areas such as: skills, capital, tax, science & technology, and collaboration.
ITAC believes Canadian businesses should be leaders in the use of ICT for competitive advantage, productivity and growth. Use of ICT by small and medium enterprises should increase towards that of our US counterparts. By partnering with other associations, as well as with Government, we work to ensure public policy supports these goals.
ITAC strives to ensure Federal, Ontario and other Canadian Governments are leaders in ICT use. ITAC positions itself as a trusted advisor to Government. We gather industry leaders and Government together and work to make it easier for our industry to sell to government.
ITAC believes the Canadian healthcare system should be a world-leading user of ICT to achieve superior patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness, as well as fostering development of a world-leading Canadian health ICT industry. ITAC works to correct chronic under-spend on ICT.
ITAC’s view is Canada’s laws should promote leadership in development and use of advanced technology. We want to ensure efficient and cost-effective measures to protect privacy and instill confidence in the e-economy.
ITAC believes that in order for Canada to continue to compete worldwide, we need to promote policies that will ensure a steady supply of talented men and women for our local ICT industry. We work with industry as well as with Federal, Provincial and local governments to establish initiatives to support this goal.
Become a Member
The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) is the voice of the Canadian information and communications technologies (ICT) industry. ITAC represents a diverse ICT community spanning telecommunications and internet services, ICT consulting services, hardware, microelectronics, software and electronic content. ITAC's community of companies accounts for more than 70 per cent of the 572,000 jobs, $140.5 billion in revenue, $6.0 billion in R&D investment, $31.4 billion in exports and $11.4 billion in capital expenditures that the ICT industry contributes annually to the Canadian economy. ITAC is a prominent advocate for the expansion of Canada's innovative capacity and for stronger productivity across all sectors through the strategic use of technology.
- View our National Executive Committee
- View our National Board of Directors
- View our Ontario Board of Directors (PDF)
- View ITAC Health's Board of Directors
What We Do
In order for the Canadian ICT sector to realize its full potential, it requires an innovation ecosystem made up of skilled workers, capital investment, technological capability, a competitive tax regime and full adoption of ICT by both Government and the private sector.
Our Six Priority Areas For Canada Are:
Global Competitiveness of Our Knowledge Economy
Set targets for where Canada's knowledge economy should be compared to key peer/competitor nations.
ICT Adoption
Canadian businesses should be leaders in use of ICT for competitive advantage, productivity and growth. We work to ensure public policy supports this goal.
Public Sector Procurement
Ensure Federal, Ontario and other Canadian Governments are leaders in ICT use. Our aim is to position ITAC as a trusted advisor to Government. We want to make it easier for our industry to sell to Government. We believe Government should buy outcomes not inputs, value not price.
eHealth
The Canadian healthcare system should be a world-leading user of ICT to achieve superior patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness, as well as fostering development of a world-leading Canadian health ICT industry.
Smart Regulation
Ensure Canada's laws promote leadership in development and use of advanced technology.
Talent
ITAC believes that in order for Canada to continue to compete worldwide, we need to promote policies that will ensure a steady supply of talented men and women for our local ICT industry. We work with industry as well as with Federal, Provincial and local governments to establish initiatives to support this goal.
Our Mission
ITAC is the national association of Canada's information and communications technology (ICT) industry. We are entirely focused on ICT and represent a broad range of ICT enterprises. As the trusted and authoritative voice of our industry, ITAC's mission is to promote and enhance the unique contribution ICT can make to Canada's economy and society. We:
Promote
A policy environment that will enable our industry to grow, make Canada more competitive and help Canadians be world-leading users of technology.
Promote
Better use of ICT by business, government and public services like health care, to achieve world-leading performance.
Offer
A wide range of networking opportunities that foster business and professional development for our members.
Provide
An effective two-way channel of communication between policy makers and the ICT industry.
Chair's Message
Douglas McCuaig
President, Canada
CGI Group Inc.
Welcome to the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), the definitive voice of the information technology industry in Canada.
Our Association focuses on business issues that not only impact our industry, but by extension the wider Canadian economy. We have used our association to improve policy, focus attention on productivity and to work with private and public organizations to stimulate dialogue on our future as a country.
One of the ideas that unites the ICT industry is the fundamental belief that the tools and the services that we develop and produce can significantly improve the competitiveness of Canadian companies; but, also enhance the quality of life in our communities, and by extension our country.
We have made increasing the number of students in Canada graduating and pursuing careers in our industry one of our top priorities. Our industry's position as a critical cog in Canada's future is on the line. More importantly, Canada's place in the world's economy will be threatened if we do not change the current state of ICT skills in this country.
If your business is providing telecommunications, computing or software products or services, or electronic content, consider adding your company's name to the growing list of ITAC members. We also welcome other firms with professional practices aimed at the IT industry to participate as associate members.
For more information about ITAC, please contact Bernard Courtois, President & CEO at bcourtois@itac.ca or by calling (613) 238-4822 ext. 231.
Staff Profiles
Karna Gupta
President & CEO / Président et chef de la direction
Information Technology Association of Canada
Association canadienne de la technologie de l'information
Karna Gupta is one of the most respected and well-seasoned executives in high technology with an exceptional track record. With more than 30 years of outstanding industry experience, his expertise and accomplishments span across North American and International business domains.
Currently serving in several Corporate Boards (Public & Private); he is also in the Board of Regional Incubation Center -- Venture Lab.
In January 2008, Mr. Gupta was named CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Certicom Corp (TSX: CIC). Led the organization through a successful turn-around and then led the company through a successful defense against an hostile bid and then successfully sold to RIM with over 96% shareholder approval.
Prior to his appointment at Certicom, Mr. Gupta held the role of President for the Real-Time Billing Division of Comverse Technologies from 2006 to 2008 (NASDAQ: CMVT). Significantly improved the overall performance of the division with a globally-distributed workforce (1500) in 50 countries and serving a customer base world-wide. Mr. Gupta’s previous role in Comverse was Chief Marketing Officer for Comverse Americas.
Prior to Comverse, he was President of Sitraka Mobility. Under his leadership, the company grew from a start-up venture to a strong industry contender in mobile application development. He led the organization through a successful merger with Everypath Inc of California..
Mr. Gupta also served as Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Eftia OSS Solutions, a company focused in delivering OSS solutions to the carriers.
Mr. Gupta held several executive positions with Bell Canada (TSX: BCE), including Vice President, Product Development and Management.
He holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Finance from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. He has also attended executive development programs at Duke University, Harvard, MIT, University of Western Ontario and Technion Institute in Israel.
Elaine Huesing
Executive Director ITAC Health
Information Technology Association of Canada
Elaine has held various roles in the Health Informatics Industry including Association Secretariat, Associate Editor, Business Development and Marketing. Elaine's working experience have spanned across various organizations in the industry including a Healthcare Software Companies, Physician Office Systems Companies, Provincial, National and International Health Informatics Associations, and the Healthcare Information Management and Communications Canada journal. She played active roles in the development of CHITTA and the Canadian Health Informatics Awards Gala and is currently the Executive Director of ITAC.
Elaine has volunteered on many committees for conferences and tradeshows and Associations some of which include IMIA, the International Medical Informatics Association, COACH, Canada's Health Informatics Association, Economic Development Edmonton's October 2001 BioTech, BioMed and eHealth Investors Forum, the Canadian College for Healthcare Executives Society and their Alberta Chapter and ANHIX, the Alberta Network for Health Information exchange. Elaine is one of the founding board members for the ANHIX group, which was formed in 2001 and where she currently still holds an advisory to the Board Position.
Lynda Leonard
Senior Vice President
Information Technology Association of Canada
English Version | Version Française
Lynda Leonard has over twenty years of experience in organizational communications and public policy advocacy in the information technology sector.
She began her career in telecommunications working for the TransCanada Telephone System, Bell Canada and Stentor. At Stentor, she was accountable for marketing communications for the company's international operations and subsequently was responsible for executive public relations support.
In 1996, she and a partner established an independent public relations practice specializing in providing a full range of communications programs to companies in the IT sector. The company was subsequently acquired by GPC Communications.
In 1998, Lynda joined the team at ITAC as Vice-President of Communications and was named Senior Vice-President in 2004.
Lynda's accomplishments in communications have been recognized by the International Association of Business Communicators (Gold Quill). Throughout her career, Lynda has been an advocate for the broader engagement of women in the technology sector. She helped to establish the first Ottawa chapter of the Wired Woman Society, and she is a member of the Board of Directors of Canadian Women in Communications. In 2010, she was honoured with a World of Difference 100 Award from the the International Alliance for Women.
Lynda Leonard a plus de vingt ans d'expérience dans le domaine des communications et de la défense des politiques publiques dans le secteur des technologies de l'information.
Elle a débuté sa carrière en télécommunication avec TransCanada Telephone System, Bell Canada et Stentor. Elle a été responsable des communications commerciales chez Stentor pour les opérations internationales de la compagnie et a été responsable des relations publiques pour l'exécutif.
En 1996, elle a établi, avec un partenaire, une firme de relations publiques indépendante se spécialisant dans la création de programmes de communications pour les compagnies dans le secteur des technologies de l'information. La compagnie a subséquemment été acquise par GPC Communications.
En 1998, Lynda s'est jointe à l'équipe de l’ACTI en tant que vice-présidente aux communications et a été nommée première vice-présidente en 2004.
Ses réalisations au chapitre des communications ont été reconnues par l’Association internationale des professionnels de la communication (Gold Quill). Elle a participé à la mise en place de la première section d’Ottawa de la Wired Woman Society.
Telephone: (613) 238-2250 ext. 223
Linda Oliver
Vice President
Information Technology Association of Canada
Linda Oliver is a government relations professional with over twenty years of experience in executive management positions in Telecom companies, including MT&T (Aliant), Stentor Telecom Policy and the Bermuda Telephone Company. Linda joined the ITAC team in 2000 and is responsible for ITAC's relationships with Governments, both federally and provincially. Linda is a Director of MITACS, the Mathematics of lnformation Technology and Complex Systems, a network of Centres for Excellence (NCE) for Mathematical Sciences.
Telephone: (613) 238-2250 ext. 222
Annual Review 2010 - 2011
ITAC at 60: Innovative Ideas on the Role of Technology in Canada
ICT is the industry of the future—as fresh as the latest tablet release, as vigorous as the most lively Twitter feed. But while we are proud of our future-focus, we equally honour our past. ITAC turned 60 this year, and to mark this important anniversary, we have asked some of the strategic leaders and community advocates in our industry to contribute brief articles and essays for this special edition of our annual review.
Robert Watson, ITAC Chair 2010/2011
Download 2010 - 2011 Review Annual Review 2009 - 2010
Return on Innovation: Celebrating Canada's ICT achievements
ICT is an enabling force; and investment in ICT has been proven to increase companies' productivity and efficiency - no matter the industry. In this ITAC Annual Review, we celebrate a few Canadian companies who have clearly demonstrated that investing in innovation pays immediate and substantial returns.
Tom Turchet, ITAC Chair 2009/2010
Annual Review 2008 - 2009
Upping Our Game
At ITAC, the community of Canada's information and communications technology, we devote
a great deal of energy, thought and discourse to these aspirations, this hope for a stronger
nation and a better world, for we believe that the tools, products and services that we produce
are enablers of prosperity, innovation, equality and excellence in all dimensions of modern life.
Robert Courteau, ITAC Chair 2008/2009
Annual Review 2007 - 2008
Setting Priorities For Canadian ICT
The world of information and communications technology is complex, vast and dynamic.
Change happens, quite literally, at the speed of light. Today's must-have device is
tomorrow's old news. For many of us who have built our careers in ICT, this volatility is
intoxicating and a key reason why we'd never want to work anywhere else.
In a kaleidoscopic environment like ours, it's all too easy to get distracted and lose focus. And when the world of technology intersects with the world of public policy, as it does for ITAC, choosing the right priorities for action can be challenging indeed. In meeting this challenge, deciding what you will not do is every bit as important as determining what you will do.
David MacDonald, ITAC Chair 2007/2008
Annual Review 2006 - 2007
The Power of Collaboration
A glance at the Board of Directors page of this annual report gives you a good indication of the strength of the leadership and the engagement of its members in ITAC. We are a thoughtful organization that speaks beyond the specific self-interest of the information and communications technology industry to address issues central to the creation of a strong, competitive, 21st century economy and a leading knowledge based nation. Based on the strength of its leadership, and the quality of its work over more than 50 years, ITAC commands respect and enjoys both the benefits and responsibilities of influence.
Doug Cooper, ITAC Chair 2006/2007
Annual Review 2005 - 2006
Together, we’re better
Strategic collaborations strengthen ITAC
John Donne's observation that "No man is an island" applies to associations as well. Collaboration strengthens us, drives efficiencies, creates new ways of looking at old problems and helps us contribute a higher level of value to those we serve.
Ronan McGrath, ITAC Chair 2005/2006
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