Canadian Cartographic Association

Canadian Cartographic Association (CCA), also known as Association Canadienne de Cartographie, is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of cartography. The Canadian Cartographic Association was founded in 1975 and it aims are to promote interest in maps and related cartographic materials, further the understanding and knowledge of maps by encouraging research in the field of cartography, provide for the exchange of ideas and information through meetings and by publications, advance education in cartography and in the use of maps, and embrace closely related fields such as geographic information science.

Membership in the CCA is open to anyone with an interest in cartography, and members include individuals from government, industry, education, and from the general public. The CCA hosts an annual conference, held each spring/summer in alternating regions, as well as periodic regional meeting for members. The CCA has four Special Interest Groups (SIG) catering to members with interests in particular branches of cartography and serving as the focus for special sessions at the annual conference: Mapping Technologies & Spatial Data, History of Cartography, Education, and Geovisualization and Map Design. The CCA plays a role in international cartography through its involvement with the the Canadian National Committee (CNC) for the International Cartographic Association (ICA). The CNC, chaired by a CCA nominee, is responsible for coordinating Canadian participation in the ICA.

The official publication of the Canadian Cartographic Association is the quarterly peer-reviewed journal Cartographica, published by the University of Toronto Press, which includes articles on transformative research, education, and practice contributions to the social, political, technological, and historical aspects of cartography and geovisualization. The CCA also publishes an annual newsletter, CCA Cartouche, which includes news about conferences and events, updates by the executive committee, and member submitted articles, available in both print and digital formats.

The CCA awards annual Canadian Cartographic Association Awards of Distinction to recognize individuals or groups who have made exceptional contributions in the field of cartography, including Exceptional Contributions to the CCA Award, Exceptional Scholarly Contributions to Cartography Award, and Exceptional Professional Contributions to the Practice of Cartography Award. The CCA also awards student prizes and scholarships, including the Norman L. Nicholson Memorial Scholarship, President’s Prize Competition, Carto-Québec Prize, CCA Web Map Award, and Best Student Paper/Presentation Prize.