Featured Article from NOVIPRO
We are pleased to announce the release of the 10th Annual IT Trends Report from NOVIPRO and Nova Networks, in partnership with Leger and IBM. A milestone edition offering not only the freshest data on Canadian IT priorities, but a rare 10-year retrospective on how the industry has evolved.
Surveying 452 Canadian business decision-makers, the 2026 report arrives at a decisive moment. Budgets are growing, AI adoption is accelerating, and IT has earned a seat at the strategy table. But ambition is outpacing governance, and the gap between IT leaders and business executives is costing organizations real ground.
A Decade of Transformation
IT’s involvement in company strategy has grown from 79% to 87% over ten years. Cloud infrastructure has shifted from a cost-cutting play to a platform for agility. Progress is real, but so are the gaps.
Data Sovereignty: A Canadian Business Imperative
77% of organizations say data sovereignty is more critical today than two years ago, and 64% are actively addressing it. With US–Canada trade tensions persisting, where your data lives is no longer a technical question, it’s a strategic one. Yet 39% of smaller organizations have taken no action, a risk that is growing by the day.
Artificial Intelligence: From Pilot to Practice
80% of organizations are actively using AI, and more than half have moved beyond the pilot stage. But adoption alone won’t deliver results. Without organizational alignment and clear governance, most AI investments will underdeliver, quietly and expensively.
Cybersecurity: More Spending, Not More Safety
93% of organizations have at least one security measure in place, and cyber insurance adoption has surged from 27% to 60% in a single year. Yet 60% of small businesses had no cybersecurity training in the past year. Confidence in preparedness is high, but the data suggests it is largely unwarranted.
IT Human Resources: An Operational Crisis
91% of Canadian companies face at least one IT HR challenge, up from 78% a year ago. Hiring gaps, overworked teams, and a shortage of specialized skills are no longer just people problems, they are operational risks that show up across every business function.
Industry Spotlights: Finance, Manufacturing & Healthcare
New this year, the report includes sector-specific findings. In finance, 79% of institutions report increased cybersecurity pressure, yet nearly 1 in 5 tracks no formal indicators of operational resilience. In manufacturing, 68% of companies remain at low-to-moderate automation levels as global competitors pull ahead. In healthcare, 44% cite system slowness or unavailability as their top technology risk, a direct threat to continuity of care.
What you’ve read here is the tip of the iceberg. The full 2026 IT Trends Report goes deep on AI, cybersecurity, data sovereignty, modernization, and talent — with a decade of data showing exactly how Canadian IT has shifted. Don’t navigate 2026 without it.
Download now: https://info.novipro.com/en/it-trends
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