Design Professionals of Canada

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The Design Professionals of Canada

GDC logo, designed by Jacques Emile Charette, in use from 1968 to 2014.[1]
Abbreviation	GDC
Founded	1956 (1956)[2]
Founder	Frank Davies, John Gibson, Frank Newfeld, Leslie Smart[2]
Type	Professional Association
Registration no.	0994952[3]
Location	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Area served	Canada
Official languages	English, French
Key people	President Marga Lopez, CGD
Affiliations	ico-D[2]
Website	gdc.net
Formerly called	Society of Typographic Designers of Canada[2] Society of Graphic Designers of Canada

Design Professionals of Canada (or DesCan, formerly known as the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, or GDC) is Canadaʼs national certification body for graphic and communication design and since 1956 has established standards for design professionals, educators, and leaders. DesCan licenses and certifies members whose services meet the standardized, national criteria. DesCan was Canada's first distinct group to professionalize graphic design as a distinct field.^[4]