Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines

What Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines does

Centre d'expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines (CERIU) is a Montreal-based, private non-profit membership association founded in 1994 that mobilizes Quebec municipalities, engineering firms, and government stakeholders around municipal water infrastructure best practices. Its core technology stack consists of standardized inspection protocols (CERIU/NASSCO PACP/MACP/LACP, where CERIU holds exclusive French-language licensing rights in Quebec), the PIEMQ longitudinal database covering 938 municipalities (99% of Quebec's population) and 101,105 km of pipelines, the Inframunicipal self-serve visualization platform, and the DiagnosticPI data-validation tool. The organization also maintains a library of over 1,800 technical documents and publishes the CERIU standardization manual for CCTV sewer observations.

CERIU generates revenue through five streams: recurring membership fees from Quebec municipalities and professionals, paid training and certification programs for PACP/MACP/LACP operators and analysts (3-year recertification cycle), one-time publication and guide sales to non-members (member pricing is free), event revenue from the annual Congrès INFRA (32nd edition in 2026), and government grants — most notably from the Government of Quebec's Programme d'infrastructures municipales d'eau 2023-2033, with additional project funding from MITACS and Natural Resources Canada. Regulatory mandates from BNQ (Standards 3680-125 and 1809-300) and MAMH/MAMOT require the use of CERIU/NASSCO protocols for compliant sewer inspection work in Quebec, creating a structural moat for the certification business.

CERIU sells into a single concentrated vertical — Quebec municipal governments of all sizes — through a vertical-specialization segmentation approach, with named large-municipality partners including Montréal, Québec, Laval, Repentigny, Mascouche, and Boucherville on the Observatoire research mandates. Distribution combines direct enterprise engagement for membership and certifications, self-serve access via Inframunicipal and the publication library, and recurring event-driven engagement through Congrès INFRA. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (Conseil d'administration) and operates permanent technical committees covering asset management, subsurface infrastructure, surface infrastructure, and urban technical networks.

Name

Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines

Legal name

Centre d'expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines

Website

https://ceriu.qc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CERIU is a Quebec non-profit association that sets sewer inspection standards (CERIU/NASSCO PACP/MACP/LACP), maintains the PIEMQ water-infrastructure database, certifies inspectors, and publishes technical guides for Quebec municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CERIU operates as a membership-based association. The website features a dedicated 'Adhésion' (membership) section indicating that access to certain publications, resources, and benefits is reserved for members. Many publications are offered free to members and at a fee to non-members.
2. Training and Certification Programs: CERIU offers certification programs for PACP/MACP/LACP sewer inspection protocols. Training courses lead to professional certifications valid for 3-year periods. The organization also offers training on topics such as social acceptability for stormwater management infrastructure.
3. Publications and Guides Sales: Publications including technical guides, reports, and manuals are sold, with members typically receiving free access and non-members paying fees. Example: the Guide on social acceptability priced at 45 CAD for non-members, free for members.
4. Congress and Event Revenue: The annual Congrès INFRA generates revenue through exhibitor and partnership fees, conference registrations, and sponsorship. The 32nd edition (2026) is actively promoting exhibitor and partner opportunities.
5. Government Grants and Subsidies: CERIU receives financial support from the Government of Quebec under the Programme d'infrastructures municipales d'eau 2023-2033, as well as funding from other government programs for specific research mandates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CERIU is a non-profit expertise center that develops and disseminates standardized methodologies for Quebec municipal water and urban infrastructure management. Its core offerings include the CERIU/NASSCO sewer inspection certification programs (PACP, MACP, LACP), the annual PIEMQ provincial water infrastructure portrait report, technical guides and standardization manuals, the DiagnosticPI data-validation application, and the Inframunicipal online asset visualization platform. The organization also runs training courses, the annual Congrèes INFRA congress, and supports municipalities with asset management planning tools.

Product overview

CERIU is a center of expertise and research in urban infrastructure providing certification programs, technical guides, research reports, training, and an annual congress focused on municipal water infrastructure management in Quebec. The core offerings include CERIU/NASSCO certification programs (PACP, MACP, LACP) for sewer television inspection, the annual PIEMQ water infrastructure portrait report, technical guides on stormwater management and urban infrastructure, the Inframunicipal data platform, asset management planning tools, and the INFRA congress. The organization also publishes the Manual of Standardization for CCTV Observations and offers the DiagnosticPI data validation tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PIEMQ: Portrait des infrastructures en eau des municipalités du Québec - annual report on the state of water infrastructure in Quebec municipalities
• CERIU/NASSCO
• Congrès INFRA

Products and services

• CERIU/NASSCO PACP Certification Program Certification program for Pipe Assessment Certification Program (PACP) operators and analysts for sewer pipe inspection using standardized protocols. Certification is valid for 3 years with mandatory recertification.
• CERIU/NASSCO MACP Certification Program Certification program for Manhole Assessment Certification Program (MACP) for sewer manhole inspection with Level 1 and Level 2 assessment capabilities.
• CERIU/NASSCO LACP Certification Program Certification program for Lateral Assessment Certification Program (LACP) for sewer service lateral connections inspection.
• Portrait des infrastructures en eau des municipalités du Québec (PIEMQ) Annual comprehensive report on the state of municipal water infrastructure in Quebec covering drinking water, wastewater, stormwater pipelines and related structures. The 2025 edition covers 938 municipalities, 101,105 km of pipelines, with $20.6 billion in replacement value for infrastructure rated D or E.
• Congrèes INFRA (Annual Congress) Annual infrastructure congress bringing together municipal professionals, experts, and industry partners for conferences, networking, and knowledge exchange. Revenue generated through exhibitor fees, partnership packages, and conference registrations.
• DiagnosticPI Data validation application that detects inconsistencies and anomalies in intervention plan data, offered to municipalities and their consultants to support the production or updating of intervention plans.
• Inframunicipal Online Platform Web platform for viewing water asset profiles of individual municipalities with integrated data visualization and self-service access to PIEMQ data.
• Manuel de standardisation des observations des inspections télévisées Standardization manual for CCTV sewer pipe and manhole inspection observations covering defect terminology and grading scales. The foundational reference that preceded CERIU's adoption of NASSCO protocols.
• Plan de gestion des actifs en eau (PGA-Eau) Asset management planning tools suite to help municipalities create water asset management plans, including the 'PGA pas-à-pas' webinar series for step-by-step guidance.
• Outils pour réussir l'acceptabilité sociale des ouvrages de gestion des eaux pluviales Technical guide to help municipalities achieve social acceptability for stormwater management infrastructure projects based on citizen expectations and stakeholder roles. Priced at 45 CAD for non-members, free for CERIU members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 67% of Quebec municipal water infrastructure is in good or very good condition (PIEMQ 2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022INRS, specifically the Centre Eau Terre Environnement, is the academic research partner for the Observatoire's green infrastructure cost-benefit analysis mandate. Sophie Duchesne, a professor at INRS, serves as the research director. Marie-Ève Jean and Laura Milena Solarte Moncayo from INRS conducted the research.
• Ville de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Montréal is a founding partner of the Observatoire research mandate on cost-benefit analysis of green infrastructure for stormwater source control. The city contributes to research design and provides municipal context for the analysis.
• Ville de QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Québec City is a founding partner of the Observatoire research mandate on cost-benefit analysis of green infrastructure for stormwater source control.
• Ville de LavalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Laval is a founding partner of the Observatoire research mandate on cost-benefit analysis of green infrastructure for stormwater source control.
• Ville de RepentignycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Repentigny is a founding partner of the Observatoire research mandate on cost-benefit analysis of green infrastructure for stormwater source control.
• Ville de MascoucheminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Mascouche is a municipal partner of the Observatoire research mandate on green infrastructure cost-benefit analysis.
• Ville de BouchervilleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Boucherville is a municipal partner of the Observatoire research mandate on green infrastructure cost-benefit analysis.
• Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013BNQ published standard BNQ 3680-125 in 2013 mandating CERIU/NASSCO protocols for televised sewer inspection. BNQ 1809-300 Modificatif No. 2 (2015) further incorporated these protocol requirements into Quebec's normalized construction specifications, establishing CERIU/NASSCO as the mandatory standard.
• Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation (MAMH/MAMOT)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013MAMOT/MAMH mandates CERIU/NASSCO protocols in its Guide for intervention plan development for water pipe, sewer, and pavement renewal, and also recommends the CERIU intervention plan template. The ministry provided the initial mandate for the PIEMQ project and supports ongoing data collection.
• NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009In 2009, CERIU negotiated and obtained the exclusive French-language license for NASSCO's PACP/MACP/LACP sewer inspection protocols in Quebec. NASSCO continuously improves the protocols, with version 8.0 released in 2024. CERIU participates in NASSCO technical committees to contribute to protocol development while ensuring Quebec-specific considerations are addressed.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Water Research Foundation: US-based non-profit research organization funding and disseminating applied research for the water sector. Comparable to CERIU in research mandate and data-driven output, focused on subscription-funded applied research rather than standards/certification.

Others

• Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM): National umbrella organization representing Canadian municipalities on policy, funding, and capacity building. Adjacent to CERIU as a key ecosystem partner serving similar municipal audiences, but operating in advocacy and federal funding rather than technical standards.
• Infrastructure Canada: Federal department responsible for federal infrastructure investments and programmes across Canada. Comparable as a partner/funder in the municipal infrastructure ecosystem that CERIU operates in, but as a government policymaker rather than a service provider.

Direct peers

• NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies): The US-based origin of the PACP/MACP/LACP sewer inspection protocols that CERIU exclusively licenses in French for Quebec. NASSCO is the direct upstream counterpart in the same standards ecosystem and collaborates with CERIU on protocol development.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA): Canada's national association for the municipal water and wastewater sector, providing training, publications, and advocacy. Comparable to CERIU in membership-based service to Canadian municipalities, but with national rather than Quebec-only scope.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): The largest North American non-profit dedicated to safe water, providing standards, training, certification, and research across the water sector. Comparable to CERIU in standards-setting and professional training, but operating at a much broader US/international scale rather than Quebec-specific.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF): US-based international non-profit providing technical expertise, education, and training for the wastewater and water quality sector. Comparable to CERIU in its technical training and certification model for water professionals, with broader geographic scope.

Regional players

• Réseau Environnement: Quebec-based non-profit association focused on environmental issues including water, waste, and climate. Comparable to CERIU in its membership-driven model serving Quebec municipalities and professionals, with overlapping stakeholder audiences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ceriu_1994
• Facebookfacebook.com/ceriu.qc.ca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceriu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 →

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