Clinical Research Association of Canada

What Clinical Research Association of Canada does

Clinical Research Association of Canada (CRAC) is a registered Canadian non-profit professional association founded in May 1988 in Toronto and now operating nationally across Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. The organization is independently volunteer-run, non-government funded, and employs approximately 9 people, providing a forum for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device clinical research professionals to network, earn continuing education credits, and stay current on regulatory developments. CRAC's core offerings include standard membership at $100 per year, a discounted $75 student/newcomer tier, the CRPC (Clinical Research Professional of Canada) certification — the first Canadian designation incorporating both Health Canada and global regulations — in-person and virtual educational events with CEUs, a member directory, a newsletter (CRAC Insider), and a job postings board. Strategic programming includes recurring Health Canada Inspectorate sessions, with the most recent hosted on September 25, 2025, and a CAR-T Cell Therapy educational event scheduled for March 16, 2026.

The business model is membership-subscription plus event registration plus sponsorship. Members receive free or discounted access to events ($25 for non-members), and the organization markets primarily through its website (craconline.ca), LinkedIn group, X/Twitter presence (@CRAC_execs), and email newsletter. Distribution is self-serve for membership via the website and chapter-led at the provincial level. No proprietary technology platform is described; CRAC is a community and content organization rather than a software company, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, API offerings, or integrations.

Name

Clinical Research Association of Canada

Legal name

Clinical Research Association of Canada

Website

https://craconline.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clinical Research Association of Canada (CRAC) is a volunteer-run Canadian non-profit professional association, founded in 1988, that provides membership, networking, CEU-bearing events, and the CRPC certification to clinical research professionals in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries across five provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Clinical Research Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAOAJAO

Clinical Research Support (CRC/CTA)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Healthcare Allied & Clinical Support Training

Keywords

• Clinical research association
• Professional certification programs
• Continuing education events
• Membership networking services
• Regulatory affairs training

Headquarters

HQ city

National (Virtual/Hybrid)

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions providing access to exclusive events, industry insights, networking opportunities, professional development resources, and member-only pricing on events.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from non-member event tickets. Members receive free or discounted access to events while non-members pay $25 per event.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship of events and the organization, with dedicated sponsorship opportunities on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CRAC is a national non-profit professional association that provides annual memberships ($100 standard, $75 student/newcomer), CEU-accredited educational events, and the CRPC (Clinical Research Professional of Canada) certification for clinical research professionals working in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries across Canada. It operates through five provincial chapters and delivers value via member networking, regulatory updates, industry news, and a job postings board.

Product overview

Clinical Research Association of Canada (CRAC) is a national non-profit professional organization that provides a platform for education, networking, and professional growth in the clinical research industry. The organization operates a membership-based model centered around its annual CRAC Membership ($100) and Student Membership ($75) offerings, supplemented by the CRPC certification program—the first Canadian designation incorporating both Health Canada and global regulations. CRAC delivers value through educational events with CEUs across multiple Canadian provinces, a member directory for networking, industry insights via newsletter and blog, and job postings. The organization is volunteer-run and independent, having operated since 1988.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CRPC (Clinical Research Professional Certification): Clinical Research Professional Certification - The first designation and certification that incorporates both Canadian (Health Canada) and global regulations.

Products and services

• CRAC Standard Membership Annual subscription priced at $100 per year providing clinical research professionals with access to exclusive industry events, expert-led discussions, networking opportunities, member directory, and preferred pricing on all CRAC events.
• CRAC Student and Newcomer Membership Annual subscription priced at $75 per year designed for students in clinical research programs and newcomers to Canada from emerging countries seeking involvement in the clinical research community, with the same benefits as standard membership.
• CRPC (Clinical Research Professional of Canada) Certification Professional certification program for clinical research professionals, designated as the first Canadian research certification that incorporates both Canadian (Health Canada) and global regulations.
• Educational Events with CEUs Regular educational events featuring expert speakers and industry leaders, offering Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for professional development, held across Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia. Non-members pay $25 per event; members attend free or at discounted rates.
• CRAC Insider Newsletter Newsletter delivering clinical research updates, event announcements, and industry news to CRAC members and subscribers.
• Clinical Research Job Postings Board Online platform for posting and viewing career opportunities in clinical research across Canada, hosted on the CRAC website.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Sponsorship opportunities for corporations to support CRAC events and the organization, with dedicated sponsorship packages promoted through the website and at events.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Health Canada InspectoratecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Health Canada Inspectorate presented inspection results and initiatives at a CRAC event on September 25, 2025. This represents an ongoing collaboration where Health Canada shares regulatory updates and inspection findings with the clinical research community through CRAC's platform. Presenters included Myriam Salem and Honieh Bahrainifard from Health Canada.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO): Ontario-based organization working to streamline clinical trials in the province and attract trial investment. Comparable as a Canadian non-profit advancing the clinical research ecosystem, though CTO focuses more on site/regulatory streamlining than professional education and certification.
• N2 Canada (Network of Networks): Canadian alliance of clinical research organizations and networks focused on harmonizing clinical trial processes across Canada. Comparable as a Canadian not-for-profit serving the clinical research workforce and overlapping with CRAC's mission to strengthen the country's trial environment.

Direct peers

• Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS): Global trade organization representing clinical research sites and the professionals who work in them. Comparable as a membership-based body delivering education, networking, and a voice for site-based clinical research professionals.
• Canadian Association of Professionals in Regulatory Affairs (CAPRA): Canadian national association for regulatory affairs professionals. Directly comparable as a fellow Canadian non-profit professional association in the drug development space — CRAC was explicitly modeled in part on CAPRA's forum concept when founded in 1988.
• Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP): US-based international professional association for clinical research personnel offering certification (CCRC, CCRA, CPI) and continuing education. Directly comparable as a competing membership and certification body serving the same clinical research professional audience, including Canadians.
• Society for Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA): International not-for-profit membership organization for clinical research professionals offering the CCRP certification and CEU-accredited training. Competes with CRAC for Canadian clinical research professionals seeking certification and continuing education.

Others

• TransCelerate BioPharma: Non-profit collaboration of major biopharma sponsors working to streamline clinical trials. While not a membership body for individual professionals, it shapes the same clinical research training and standards environment in which CRAC's members operate.

Broad incumbents

• Drug Information Association (DIA): Large global professional association serving the full drug development lifecycle, including clinical research. Overlaps with CRAC's clinical research education and networking mission but operates at far broader scope and scale across multiple therapeutic and regulatory domains.
• Innovative Medicines Canada: Canadian pharma industry association (formerly Rx&D). CRAC was founded through PMAC's medical group in 1988; IMC represents the broader innovative medicines industry that sponsors CRAC events and employs many of its members.

Emerging players

• MAGI (Metrics Champion Consortium): North American organization focused on clinical trial operations, contracts, budgets, and metrics standards. Comparable as a niche membership body serving clinical research operations professionals with conferences and education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CRAC_execs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clinical-research-association-of-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clinical Research Association of Canada