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

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Research

Transforming learning in a pandemic contextexternal link icon

Across Canada, in-person learning opportunities for nursing students became limited or stopped completely at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet learning criteria, nursing programs had to pivot. For example, some expanded the use of virtual simulations and scenarios as an alternative to in-person care in hospitals, long-term facilities, or community-based experiences.
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Research

Learning From One Another: Skill Gaps in Labour Markets in Northern Ontario, Yukon, and Nunavut

Northern Ontario, Yukon, and Nunavut share similar challenges to workforce development related to their shared Northern, rural, and remote contexts. Current challenges will only grow as sectors increasingly require more digital, leadership, business and administrative, and soft skills. 
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Research

Reimagining Career Services

RCS set out to test new models for career and employment services that respond to the needs of workers, employers, and practitioners in a rapidly changing labour market. Rather than a single intervention, RCS operates as a portfolio of innovation projects co-designed with service partners and piloted in real-world settings.
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