Groupe Communautaire L’Itinéraire

Name

Groupe Communautaire L’Itinéraire

Legal name

Groupe communautaire L'Itinéraire

Website

https://itineraire.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Community Organization

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Street magazine publishing
• Social reintegration services
• Homelessness support programs
• Solidarity meal cards
• Community café operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Sales: The L'Itinéraire magazine is sold on the street by camelots for $3 per copy (physical) and $5 (digital/other formats). This is the primary revenue-generating activity and also serves as the core social reintegration mechanism — camelots earn income from their sales.
2. Advertising Revenue: The magazine sells advertising space to businesses and organizations. Advertisers are attracted by the magazine's socially conscious readership (25,000 monthly readers) and the opportunity to demonstrate corporate social responsibility. Sponsorship of specific magazine pages (e.g., the Zoom Camelot page sponsored by Ville-Marie arrondissement) is also offered.
3. Café and Food Services: Revenue from café operations including Café Monsieur Paul, Café Maison ronde (the only Indigenous café in Montreal), and Café Sanaaq. These cafés serve meals to people in precarity and generate modest revenue while providing social integration and employment opportunities.
4. Donations and Grants: L'Itinéraire receives donations from individuals, corporations, and government grants. A fundraising campaign titled 'Vous avez le don de faire de la magie' (You have the gift of making magic) was launched in 2024. Government funding from Quebec and Montreal, as well as Centraide du Grand Montréal, supports specific programs.
5. Carte-repas Solidaire (Solidarity Meal Card): For $6, donors purchase a card that provides a complete meal (soup, salad, sandwich or hot meal, dessert, and coffee) to a person in precarity. The card is redeemed at partner cafés (Café Monsieur Paul, Café Maison ronde) or other partner cafés. Since 2022, over 20,000 meals have been served. This is a circular economy charitable model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Groupe Communautaire L'Itinéraire is a non-profit community organization that publishes a monthly street magazine sold by camelots (vendors who are people experiencing or at risk of homelessness) at Montreal metro stations and public spaces. Its core activity is the magazine, complemented by three solidarity cafés, a carte-repas solidaire (solidarity meal card), and social intervention and reintegration programs (AIR, Halte-chaleur, Maison ronde). Revenue comes from magazine sales, café operations, advertising, carte-repas sales, donations, and government grants.

Product overview

Groupe Communautaire L'Itinéraire is a community organization offering a portfolio of interconnected social impact programs centered around its core product, the magazine L'Itinéraire. The magazine is a street newspaper sold by vendors experiencing homelessness, providing income and social reintegration. Complementing the magazine are four café operations (Café Maison ronde, Café Monsieur Paul, Café Sanaaq), the Carte-repas solidaire meal card program, the Indigenous-focused Maison Ronde program, the AIR street intervention program, and seasonal warming shelters. The organization also runs annual events like Camelot d'un jour and maintains digital engagement through newsletters and an online boutique. The ecosystem works together to provide multiple pathways for social support, employment, and community integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• L'Itinéraire Magazine: The flagship street magazine publication that gives voice to people experiencing homelessness
• AIR
• Programme Maison ronde
• Camelot d'un jour
• Carte-repas solidaire

Products and services

• Magazine L'Itinéraire A monthly Montreal street magazine sold on the street by camelots (people experiencing or at risk of homelessness). Provides a platform for voices often unheard while supporting vendor reintegration into society. Distributed in print (8,000 copies per edition) and digital formats, reaching approximately 25,000 readers monthly.
• Café Maison ronde Montreal's only Indigenous café, located at Square Cabot. Offers artisan coffee including the 'Watero'serì:io' blend created with Moccasin Joe roaster. Provides employment and reintegration support for Indigenous participants through the Maison Ronde program.
• Café Monsieur Paul A solidarity café providing hot meals and support services to people in precarious situations. Serves meals to Carte-repas solidaire holders and offers psychosocial support alongside food services.
• Café Sanaaq A solidarity café operated by L'Itinéraire, contributing to the network of inclusive café spaces for people in need.
• Halte-chaleur Lucien-Saulnier A warming shelter operated by L'Itinéraire in Centre-Sud, accommodating up to 75 people overnight during cold winter months. Operates as part of the organization's year-round support services.
• Programme Maison ronde An Indigenous-focused program celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. Provides employment, support, and cultural connections for Indigenous participants through café work and other activities. Unique Indigenous-specific initiative in Montreal.
• Carte-repas solidaire A solidarity meal card program. For $6, cardholders receive a complete meal (soup, salad, sandwich or hot meal, dessert, and coffee) at partner cafés. Since 2022, over 20,000 meals have been served. The card received a new visual identity in February 2025 with updated design and a poem by Carla Braga.
• Programme AIR (AIR Métro) Social intervention program deploying teams in STM metro stations. The AIR Métro pilot project ran from January to April 2026 across 7 metro stations, providing street-level social intervention and support services.
• Camelot d'un jour Annual solidarity event bringing together public personalities and camelots to sell the magazine together. The 9th edition took place September 23, 2025, mobilizing about 30 public figures to raise awareness about homelessness.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2024, generated $10.5 million in total economic impact, including $6.88M direct economic contribution and $3.59M gain for public services
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025L'Itinéraire is a partner in the FNC's 'billet en attente' initiative for its 54th edition (October 8-19, 2025). For $8, people can purchase a 'waiting ticket' that allows a camelot or participant of L'Itinéraire to attend the festival. This promotes cultural inclusion and access to the arts for marginalized populations.
• Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025BAnQ (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec) has been the host partner of the Camelot d'un jour event for 4 consecutive years. The Grande Bibliothèque serves as the headquarters where camelots, public figures, volunteers, and the L'Itinéraire team gather on the day of the event. BAnQ's PDG Marie Grégoire also participates as a camelot d'un jour.
• Musée McCord StewartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2025The Musée McCord Stewart hosted the 'Battre le Pavé' exhibition featuring 400+ street photographs, including work by 5 L'Itinéraire camelots (Agathe, Patrick, Diane, Maxime, Manon). The camels participated in a photography workshop with Bertrand Carrière. The exhibition runs until October 26, 2025 and promotes inclusion and social visibility.
• UpperkutcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 December 2024Upperkut is a creative strategy agency that developed L'Itinéraire's 'Vous avez le don de faire de la magie' fundraising campaign. The agency handled creative direction (Martin Cinq-Mars), copywriting (Véronique Gingras), photography (Dana Dorobantu), animation (Yoan Boisjoli), and production. The campaign deployed across metro advertising, bus shelters, Cinema Beaubien, digital screens, web, and radio. Upperkut has been a reference in awareness campaigns for 15 years.
• AppEcocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2024AppEco is an economic analysis and strategic consulting firm that published a detailed report on L'Itinéraire's economic contribution. The report found that in 2024, L'Itinéraire generated $10.5M in total economic impact, $6.88M in direct contribution, created/maintained 57.5 jobs, added $4.07M to Montreal's GDP, and that each $1 invested returns $6 in social value. This report underpins the fundraising campaign and informs policy discussions.
• Moccasin JoeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2024Moccasin Joe is a coffee roaster located on Mohawk territory in Kanehsatake that supplies the Café Maison ronde, the only Indigenous café in Montreal. To celebrate L'Itinéraire's 30th anniversary, Moccasin Joe and Café Maison ronde created 'Watero'serì:io, le mélange amitié,' a special medium-dark roast with notes of brown sugar and caramel. Julie and Mike from Moccasin Joe worked with Maison ronde participants to create this unique blend, strengthening their shared community ties.
• STM (Société de transport de Montréal)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe STM is a partner in Camelot d'un jour, providing visibility and access to metro stations for the event. Camelot d'un jour takes place at STM metro stations across Montreal, with sales points at over 25 stations including Berri-UQAM, Guy-Concordia, Jean-Talon, Mont-Royal, Place-des-Arts, and others.
• La PressecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Presse is a media partner for Camelot d'un jour and is involved in ongoing coverage and support for L'Itinéraire. Frédéric Murphy, Director of Arts at La Presse, is listed as a participant camelot d'un jour in the 2025 edition.
• Tim HortonsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTim Hortons is a partner of Camelot d'un jour, contributing to the event that raises awareness and funds for L'Itinéraire's mission of social reintegration for people experiencing homelessness.
• Canadian TireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCanadian Tire is a partner of Camelot d'un jour, supporting L'Itinéraire's social programs and the annual event that mobilizes public figures and citizens to support people experiencing homelessness in Montreal.
• LégerminorOthersLéger is a polling and market research firm that conducted a survey of the Quebec population on behalf of L'Itinéraire to profile the magazine's readership. Results show that 84% of Quebecers know L'Itinéraire, 88% have a positive image of the magazine, and 87% have a positive image of companies that advertise in it.
• Arrondissement Ville-MarieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Arrondissement Ville-Marie sponsors page 3 of the magazine, which is dedicated to 'Zoom camelot,' a portrait feature of a camelot. This sponsorship provides visibility for the arrondissement while directly supporting L'Itinéraire's editorial content.
• L'inis (Institut national de l'image et du son)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'inis collaborated with L'Itinéraire on the 'Vivre L'Itinéraire' project, where film documentary students created Instagram mini-documentaries (photo, video, audio) profiling L'Itinéraire participants and staff. Directed by Marie-Claude Fournier and Marie Eve Berlinger.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Accueil Bonneau: Long-standing Montreal organization offering shelter, food, and reintegration services to people experiencing homelessness; directly comparable regional peer with overlapping program mix (shelter, meals, housing support).
• Dans la Rue: Montreal-based organization providing shelter, food, and support to homeless and at-risk youth; comparable regional social-services delivery model and shared beneficiary population, though focused on youth rather than the broader precarity L'Itinéraire serves.
• Old Brewery Mission: Montreal's largest homeless shelter operator offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and food services; comparable Montreal-based homelessness services scale and program overlap (meals, shelter, reintegration).
• La Maison du Père: Montreal-based organization providing housing, meals, and end-of-life care to elderly men experiencing homelessness; comparable Montreal social-services model though with a narrower beneficiary focus.

Others

• Centraide du Grand Montréal: Major Montreal-area federated fundraising organization and a key funder of L'Itinéraire; comparable as a funding/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but central to L'Itinéraire's revenue sustainability.

Direct peers

• Spare Change News: Boston street newspaper employing homeless and low-income vendors; mirrors L'Itinéraire's combination of street sales, journalism, and social reintegration programming.
• The Big Issue: The UK's flagship street newspaper sold by homeless vendors; L'Itinéraire operates the closest analogue model in Quebec, sharing the same dual social-enterprise/magazine structure and reintegration mission.
• Megaphone: Canadian street magazine (Calgary/Vancouver) using vendors with lived experience of homelessness; directly comparable operating model and homelessness-focus editorial positioning to L'Itinéraire.
• Real Change: Seattle-based street newspaper sold by low-income vendors; directly comparable hybrid model combining journalism with vendor income generation and advocacy for homeless communities.
• Street Sense: Washington D.C.-based street newspaper sold by vendors experiencing homelessness; comparable vendor-led publishing model and social-services mission, though operating in a different regulatory and funding environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GroupeLitineraire
• Instagraminstagram.com/litineraire
• TikToktiktok.com/@litineraire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-litineraire

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 →

Frequently asked questions about Groupe Communautaire L’Itinéraire