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CIO Association of Canada
The premiere community of CIOs, CISOs and IT Leaders in Canada
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Read the latest CIO Association of Canada developments.
CIO Peer Forum 2025
The CIO Association of Canada’s annual conference, the CIO Peer Forum, is a vibrant community event for attendees and the profession.
CIO.D™
The Rotman – CIOCAN
CIO Executive Leadership Program and the official CIO Designation ‘CIO.D™’
We’re setting the standard for IT professionalism
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Engage in casual and formal networking online and in-person near you. Attend top events like the CIO Peer Forum.
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career
Build a professional profile and develop your leadership skills through training and collaborating with industry peers.
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impact
Share your experience with the world. Make an impact on the profession and future generations of IT executives.
Virtual Event Recording now available, White Paper – Navigating the AI PC Era: Cybersecurity Challenges and Innovations
Navigating the AI PC Era: Cybersecurity Challenges and Innovations
Virtual Event Recording now available, White Paper – Low-Code Development for CIOs: Essential Recommendations for IT Leaders
White Paper – Low-Code Development for CIOs: Essential Recommendations for IT Leaders
CIOCAN at 20: Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie on lessons learned, and the way forward
Celebrating our 20th anniversary with a message from CIOCAN National Past President, Gary Davenport
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2024 National Sponsors
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Member Insights
Shaun Guthrie
SVP, TECHNOLOGY & ECOMMERCE, PEAVEY INDUSTRIES LP
“A great deal of my career success is because of my participation in the CIO Association of Canada. It’s important to surround yourself with those who are smarter and have more experience, and the Association has given me access to those such people. Being an active member and gaining knowledge from those peers has not only grown me personally but also has had a direct impact on my results at the office. Lastly, the CIO Association of Canada has given me an opportunity to give back to the Technology Community by being part of the local Chapter Board as President and now at the National Board as National Director of Membership.”
Shari Wallace
CIO, REAL ESTATE BOARD OF GREATER VANCOUVER
“I have been a member of the Vancouver Chapter of the CIO Association of Canada for about 20 years and have held a number of board positions during that time, including chapter president and membership of the Peer Forum organizing committee. In the early years of my career as a new IT director, the CIO Association was instrumental in introducing me to a wider group of senior IT executives both locally and nationally. Their knowledge and experience helped me understand that many of my day-to-day challenges were shared with other professionals in other industries. That sense of a safe space and common experience was invaluable in building confidence in my new role, and in providing ballast for difficult discussions within my own organization. I consider many of the CIOs in the local chapter to be friends as well as trusted colleagues. Beyond the local chapter, the CIO Association has also extended the reach of my network into the local partner and educational community, including Simon Fraser University where CIOCAN and SFU jointly offer the Technology Leadership Program to help IT professionals learn the necessary skills to progress to the CIO level. As a seasoned CIO, I am also happy to be able to provide mentoring opportunities for senior IT professionals – both through SFU and the CIO Association’s own program. For me, CIOCAN represents community.”
Dr. Peter Holowka
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, WEST POINT GREY ACADEMY
“I have been a member of CIOCAN for nearly 20 years. It’s a phenomenal organization that allows for the exchange of good ideas (and hard lessons learned) among members across industries. I have always been impressed by the quality of the people who are a part of CIOCAN. Moreover, I was pleasantly surprised by how much is in common across industries when leading IT. From forestry to education to banking to hospitality to municipalities, the IT considerations are more similar than different. I often found that I was able to take the good ideas from other IT leaders in different industries and then become an example for others to follow in my industry –of course, giving credit along the way. The CIO Association of Canada was instrumental in my professional growth and success over the years. If I could be part of only one professional association, this would be the one I would choose.”
Philippe Johnston
VP AND CTO – THE CANADIAN AIR TRANSPORT SECURITY AUTHORITY
Philippe Johnston is currently President of the CIO Association of Canada. Prior to joining the CATSA / ACSTA in January 2024, he was the Chief Information Officer for the National Research Council Canada. Philippe was also the CIO for NSERC and SSHRC, and has been a digital leader, innovator and transformer for over 25 years.