Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC)

The Northern Tourism Recovery Incubator developed by ITAC was created to support SMEs in Northern communities to strengthen their business, rebuild Indigenous tourism operators and re-train staff members to support visitors and public health expectations as the tourism industry recovers.

The needs of these businesses were assessed through a national accreditation program (Project Rise) which provided individual business assessments and aggregated data for ongoing support. By working with the Indigenous provincial and territorial partners, ITAC supported the effective delivery of regionally specific support to revitalize operators ahead of the 2023 operating season. Regional needs were considered as businesses reported through the accreditation program, recognizing that the gaps in one part of the country may not be the same as another. This coordinated effort aimed to increase tourism revenues and jobs by increasing Indigenous tourism products to meet visitor demands.

Aerial view of the airport. Airplane taxiing to runway.

Featured Projects

Group photo of construction graduates wearing hard hats.
Project

Workforce 2030: Rapid Upskilling for Green-Building Occupations

By 2030, the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) estimates that with the appropriate framework and investments in place, the Canadian green-building industry could support approximately 1.5 million direct jobs. In Ontario alone, over 100,000 new construction workers are needed in the next 10 years to keep pace with future demand and retirements.
Research

Competency Frameworks and Canada’s Essential Skills

Whether it’s new technology or global events driving the pace of change, Canadians are being asked to adapt in the workplace. Canada needs an essential skills framework that includes and looks beyond simple literacy and numeracy. It needs to include the ‘soft skills’ that industry leaders say are key to success and other essential skills that will help Canadians adapt, no matter what comes their way. Each needs to be measured and tracked to ensure Canadians remain globally competitive, and this paper argues that renewing Canada’s Essentials Skills framework is the place to start.
Computer screen showing equipment eLearning module
Project

Leveraging Technology to Develop Modern Mining Skills

The Leveraging Technology to Develop Modern Mining Skills project, led by NORCAT with support from the Future Skills Centre, explored the potential for augmented reality and virtual reality to address labour and safety challenges in mining and construction. By incorporating simulations into core training programs, the project aimed to provide safer, more accessible practice environments for new workers while testing whether immersive tools could improve learning outcomes.
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