Who are The Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG)?

Since 1951, the Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG) is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to the dissemination of geographic research and the promotion of geography as a key discipline in education, research, and in the public and private sectors, nationally and internationally. Being a member means joining a network of peers and mentors to share ideas about Canadian geography research, education, and practice. Members of the CAG are part of a community of geographic scholars and professionals who are highly engaged on social, environmental, and scientific issues.

CAG Conference at York University (May 29 – June 2, 2017) Photo Hulya Arik

The CAG not only hosts an Annual Conference, it also offers its members discounts on registration and travel grants for students presenting papers. The CAG has a network of Regional Divisions with their own annual meetings and newsletters. At its national and regional conferences, geographers from across the country (and beyond) – including geographers from the academic, public, private and non-profit sectors, as well as undergraduate and graduate students – are provided with an opportunity to meet, network, and share their ideas about the theories, methods, and practice of geography, and their passion for the discipline. A number of Study Groups provide opportunities to share more specialized research discussions at themed conference sessions and provide mentoring opportunities across a variety of areas, such as Geographic Information Science, Health and Health Care, Diversity, Migration, Ethnicity and Race, and Indigenous Peoples.

Photo Hulya Arik

Our strengths are reflected in our membership numbers and high level of activities. The more geographers belong to the CAG, the more we can expand our network to the benefit of all members, and the more we can offer continually improving and evolving services. The CAG works for Geographers – consider joining our community for these and other benefits:

• Providing research networking opportunities at its national and regional conferences, and through its 15 Study Groups, including one focused on Geographic Information Science.
• Connecting to cutting-edge geographic research by publishing The Canadian Geographer, a quarterly international, peer-reviewed journal. While submissions from members and non-members alike are always welcome, beginning in 2018, two articles per year (co-)authored by a CAG member will be designated Open Access for free. A small selection of other articles (co-)authored by members will be designated Open Access for a period of six weeks, during which time the CAG will help in sharing the them through its networks and social media channels.
• Promoting the breadth and depth of geographic research and advocating for research support through its memberships to the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences and the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
• Providing mentorship, professional development, and financial support for student members to attend the national and regional meetings.
• Compiling an annual list of Geography Departments in Canada and faculty research interests, which can also promote networking and connecting to experts.
• Providing news and updates that are of relevance to geographers via an online newsletter and listserv.
• Sharing information on geographic careers and career advice across academic, private, public, and non-profit sectors. To illustrate the wide range of specializations across the discipline and the variety of career types in which geographers thrive, the CAG has established the Careers Project  to profile a growing list of professional geographers in Canada.
• Providing information and resources on the teaching of geography at the post-secondary level.
• Working with other geographic organizations in Canada and beyond to advocate for strong and relevant geography curricula at the K-12 levels.
• Structuring membership rates that are discounted for students, retirees, individuals with lower incomes, K-12 teachers, and first-time members. Family memberships as well as associate memberships with the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and the Royal Geographical Society/Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG) are also available via the CAG membership site.

Visit our website www.cag-acg.ca for more information about the CAG and Geography in Canada. You can also contact our Executive Coordinator Kathryn Laferriere, using the links in her profile below.