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

Nurses discussing at table
Project

An Educational Pathway to Employment for Internationally Trained Nurses in Alberta

Internationally educated nurses (IENs) represent a significant and underutilized part of the solution, yet systemic barriers consistently prevent them from securing nursing employment in Canada. To bridge this gap, Bow Valley College developed and piloted six employer-informed microcredential courses across two educational pathways, specifically designed to help IENs navigate the clinical and contextual demands of the Canadian healthcare workplace.
two people walking in an innovative organic garden
Research

Mapping Food Sustainability in Canada

We mapped the current ecosystem of food sustainability initiatives and sought to collect and compile the current coverage of food sustainability programs in Canada. We analyzed what training programs offer, if any, as well as the targeted interventions for Indigenous Peoples and equity-deserving groups.
farm worker uses smartphone
Research

From Knives to Knobs: Sustainability and Smart Skills in Meat Value Chains

Smart manufacturing presents meat processors with an opportunity to bolster their sustainability performance, while enhancing quality and productivity. But for meat processors to harness smart manufacturing, their workers need the right skills.
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