One of the most respected recognitions in Canada’s technology sector is returning. This October, the CIO of the Year Awards will once again shine a national spotlight on the chief information officers and cybersecurity leaders who are shaping the country’s digital future.
Organized by the CIO Association of Canada (CIOCAN), the relaunched awards program will honour outstanding technology leadership across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, as well as excellence in cybersecurity and industry advocacy.
The awards announcement was made at the CIO Peer Forum, happening this week in Ottawa.
Originally created more than a decade ago by Fawn Annan during her time leading IT World Canada, the awards have long celebrated the strategic work of IT executives who enable transformation and resilience inside Canadian organizations.
While the format and name may evolve, the purpose remains the same: to recognize the trailblazers in technology leadership who not only manage complexity but help move industries forward.
“Technology leaders are at the heart of every successful transformation story — whether it’s modernizing public services, scaling entrepreneurial ventures, or defending against evolving cyber threats,” says Shaun Guthrie, President and Chair of CIOCAN. “These awards celebrate the bold, strategic work of CIOs and CISOs across Canada who don’t just keep the lights on — they illuminate the future.”
A legacy of leadership, reimagined
Since their inception, the CIO of the Year Awards have spotlighted influential technology leaders at a national level. Members served as judges and helped shape the criteria for what exemplary leadership looks like in Canada’s evolving digital economy.
With the closure of IT World Canada, many in senior technology leadership wondered if the awards would be permanently sunset, but industry veterans stepped in to ensure the legacy not only continues. Jim Love, publisher of the new media platform Tech Newsday, was one of the original champions of the awards alongside Annan.
The revitalized awards program will include five categories:
- CIO of the Year – Private Sector
- CIO of the Year – Public Sector
- CIO of the Year – Not-for-Profit
- CISO of the Year
- Fawn Annan Memorial Award, which will honour leadership and advocacy in technology
In addition to the awards themselves, winners will be inducted into the inaugural CIOCAN Hall of Fame, a new initiative that recognizes the long-term contributions of Canada’s most influential technology leaders.
The event will be supported by national media partners Tech Newsday and Digital Journal.
