Register now for the Canadian Cartographic Association’s 2026 Conference
Coast to Coast to Coast
Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS), Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia
The Canadian Cartographic Association (CCA) is pleased to announce its 2026 Conference, to be held at the Centre of Geographic Sciences in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia. Under the theme Coast to Coast to Coast, the conference will bring together cartographers, geospatial professionals, researchers, and students from across Canada and beyond to share ideas, research, and practice.
Keynote Speaker: Allen Carroll, author of Telling Stories with Maps
Allen Carroll
Allen is an internationally recognized cartographer, author, and former Program Manager, Storytelling at Esri, and former Vice President and Chief Cartographer at National Geographic. With decades of experience in cartographic design and place-based multimedia storytelling, he has helped shape how maps are used to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively.
His book, Telling Stories with Maps, is widely regarded as a foundational resource for anyone interested in map-based communication.
Conference Highlights
Wednesday, May 27, evening
-
Welcome reception and icebreaker at the Capitol Pub, Middleton, NS
Thursday, May 28, morning
- Keynote address
Thursday, May 28, afternoon
- Paper presentations
Friday, May 29, evening
-
Conference dinner at the Centrelea Community Hall
Friday, May 29, all day
- Full day of paper sessions
- CCA Annual General Meeting
Saturday, May 30
For those interested we have two options for field trips on Saturday, depending on the level of interest:
- Annapolis Royal: Starting at the historic Farmers and Traders Market, Nova Scotia’s longest running outdoor market, you can browse the unique selection of over 100 vendors. Pick up a delicious coffee and pastry as you walk along. Wander the historic townsite and explore the unique shops, galleries, and museums, or head up the waterfront boardwalk towards historic Fort Anne. This National Historic Site offers a glimpse into the early 17th and 18th century life in the area. Just up the road from there are the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens – 17 acres of paradise!
- Kejimkujik National Park: For the more adventurous, we can move on to Kejimkujik National Park – a short 40 minute drive from Annapolis Royal. There are a number of shorter trails and walks that could easily be hiked in an afternoon, or you could get some time on the water by renting a canoe or kayak at Jake’s Landing for a paddle up the Mersey River or into Kejimkujik Lake.
Present at this Year’s Conference!
The CCA warmly encourages participants to submit papers and presentations related to the conference theme or broader cartographic and geospatial topics.
2026 Student Competition
This year’s conference will feature cash prizes and awards for post-secondary students across the country. The prizes and awards include:
- President’s Prize /Prix du Président ($250) for college student map-making
- President’s Prize /Prix du Président ($250) for university student map-making
- President’s Prize /Prix du Président ($250) for best post-secondary student paper/presentation delivered at the conference.
- Web Map Award ($250) for excellence in web mapping by a post-secondary student
- Carto-Québec Prize /Prix Carto-Québec ($500) for map design and production for College & CEGEP students
- Carto-Québec Prize /Prix Carto-Québec ($500) for map design and production for university students
- Norman L. Nicholson Memorial Scholarship ($500) is open for students who are in their final year of a recognized college, CEGEP or university program with a concentration in cartography OR a student who is enrolled in a graduate program with a concentration in cartography.
Be sure to read the eligibility requirements and submit your maps using the links above.
Conference Registration
Registration will be available at the following rates:
| Member | Non-member (includes a year’s membership) | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Early Bird (before May 1) | $150 | $240 |
| Regular (May 1 and after) | $200 | $290 |
| Retired / Student Early Bird (before May 1) | $60 | $95 |
| Retired / Student (May 1 and after) | $75 | $120 |
| Guest (icebreaker & dinner only) | $60 | $60 |
To register, follow this link.
Accommodations
Looking for local accommodations during the conference? We have a few suggestions:
- 4101 NS-201, Bridgetown, NS B0S 1C0
- 13 min drive
- 121 Main St, Middleton, NS B0S 1P0
- 10 min drive
- Refer to COGS Conference upon booking
- 2433 Mount Hanley Rd., Mount Hanley, Nova Scotia, B0S 1P0
- 13 min drive
- 831 Main St, Kingston, NS, B0P 1R0
- Reference the Canadian cartographic Conference when booking
Questions? Contact us!