SMCORP to open Toronto Horizon event to non-members

SMCORP will launch a Toronto edition of its Horizon event for independent IT businesses, opening it to non-members for the first time.

The move expands the Canadian network's presence in Ontario. SMCORP brings together independent information technology firms and industry partners, and the Toronto gathering is designed as a half-day event where businesses can meet technology vendors, discuss market trends and make commercial contacts.

Philippe Beaudoin, Interim General Manager at SMCORP, said Toronto was a logical market as the group broadens its national footprint.

"Toronto represents an important growth market for SMCORP and a natural next step in the development of our Canadian network," said Philippe Beaudoin, Interim General Manager at SMCORP.

He added that the event would also introduce the network to Ontario companies that are not already members.

"Horizon Toronto is an opportunity for us to meet independent IT businesses in Ontario, introduce them to our community and, most importantly, give them a tangible experience of what can happen when businesses in our industry come together," Beaudoin said.

Ontario push

The Toronto expansion comes as Canada's information and communications technology sector remains a major part of the economy. Citing figures from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, SMCORP said the sector generated $131.6 billion in GDP in 2024 and included more than 48,000 companies nationwide.

Small and medium-sized businesses account for about 99% of ICT firms, according to the same data. That leaves the sector heavily reliant on independent companies, even as they face growing customer demand in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and managed services.

SMCORP's model gives those firms collective access to vendor relationships, shared market knowledge, business opportunities and peer networks while allowing them to remain independent. The Toronto event is intended to extend that approach to more businesses in Ontario and deepen ties between IT firms across Canada.

Event format

The programme is designed as a concentrated afternoon and evening session rather than a large conference. Attendees will hear from technology partners on products and market developments before moving into a showcase and networking session.

Technology partners due to take part include Samsung, HP Canada, Lenovo and TD Synnex. The format is intended to encourage direct conversations between independent IT firms, vendors and prospective members.

The approach reflects a broader shift in the channel, where smaller resellers and service providers are under pressure to keep up with a wider range of technologies while maintaining local customer relationships. Access to suppliers and sector information has become more important as competition has intensified and customer expectations have changed.

SME role

The economic weight of smaller firms is central to SMCORP's case for expansion. The organisation said Canadian ICT small and medium-sized enterprises account for about 49% of sector revenue and more than 61% of employment, excluding communications services.

Those companies also play a larger role in exports than many businesses in the wider economy. In 2023, Canadian ICT SMEs were about twice as likely to export as Canadian SMEs overall, according to the figures cited by SMCORP.

For a network built around independent operators, that creates a larger addressable market in provinces such as Ontario, where many technology resellers, managed service providers and specialist consultancies are concentrated. Opening Horizon to non-members suggests SMCORP is using the event not only as a networking forum but also as a recruitment tool.

Beaudoin said the broader aim was to strengthen links between independent firms without changing their ownership or local identity.

"Horizon is ultimately about creating useful connections," Beaudoin said.

"Technology changes quickly, but independent businesses remain successful because they understand their customers and their markets. Our role is to complement that independence by giving them a stronger network around them," he said.

The event will run from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre, ending with a networking cocktail for independent IT businesses, technology partners and prospective SMCORP members.