Kenora Association for Community Living

What Kenora Association for Community Living does

Kenora Association for Community Living (KACL) is a not-for-profit, charitable multi-sector agency headquartered in Kenora, Ontario, that supports children and adults with developmental disabilities and adults with mental illness across Northwestern Ontario. Founded in 1961 by local parents whose children had been excluded from school, the organization has operated continuously for over six decades and is one of the largest employers in Kenora, with a workforce in the 251-500 range.

KACL's service portfolio spans ten core program areas: Adult Protective Services, Children's Services (including Infant and Child Development), Community Mental Health Support Services (Intensive Case Management, Dual Diagnosis, Housing Subsidy, Community Wellness), Options for Adults (Supportive Living in ISS, ESIL, OSIL/ISIL, Host Family, and Homes for Good formats, plus Employment Services, Community Connections/Arts Hub, and Passport Services), Kids' Zone inclusive childcare centres, and Corporate Services. The Arts Hub, opened in 2010, is described by KACL as unique within Ontario's community living movement. Geographic service reach extends from Kenora into Dryden, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout, Ignace, Red Lake, and surrounding northern communities.

The organization is funded primarily through transfers from the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Ontario Health North, and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, supplemented by Passport funding and a charitable endowment. Client access is governed by mandated intake pathways — Developmental Services Ontario for adult developmental services, Firefly Central Intake Northwestern Ontario for children's services — with direct referrals accepted for mental health and Passport-funded services. KACL is governed by a volunteer board of directors, and Debbie Everley has served as Executive Director since 2013, succeeding James Retson.

Name

Kenora Association for Community Living

Legal name

Kenora Association for Community Living

Website

https://kacl.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kenora Association for Community Living is a not-for-profit charitable agency in Northwestern Ontario that delivers developmental disability, mental health, children's, childcare, and housing support services to children, adults, and families, funded primarily by Ontario provincial ministries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Disability and Mental Health Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Child and Youth Services (62411), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Developmental disability services
• Community mental health
• Supportive living programs
• Children's early intervention
• Employment support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kenora

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: KACL receives funding from the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), Ontario Health North (OHN), and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for various programs including Developmental Services Ontario programs, Intensive Case Management, and housing subsidies. The organization also accepts Passport funding which is provided by the Ministry of Community and Social Services and administered regionally by Lutheran Community Care Centre's Passport Program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kenora Association for Community Living (KACL) provides multi-sector community-based support services to children and adults with developmental disabilities and adults with mental illness across Northwestern Ontario. Its portfolio includes adult protective services, children's intervention and development programs, community mental health case management and housing subsidies, supportive living arrangements, supported employment, community connections programs, Passport-funded individualized services, and inclusive childcare through Kids' Zone.

Product overview

KACL is a not-for-profit community services organization (not a technology company) offering a comprehensive portfolio of support services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and adults with mental illness. The service architecture consists of Adult Protective Services providing independent living support; Children's Services including infant development and youth programs; Community Mental Health Support Services with case management and housing subsidies; Options for Adults encompassing Supportive Living (ISS, ESIL, OSIL/ISIL, Host Family), Employment Services, Community Connections, and Passport Services; and Corporate Services providing internal infrastructure. Kids' Zone Childcare Centres offer inclusive early learning. Services are accessed through Developmental Services Ontario, Firefly Central Intake, or directly for Passport funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kids' Zone: Inclusive childcare and early learning programs for children from infancy to school-age.
• Arts Hub
• KACL WELL

Products and services

• Adult Protective Services Provides supports for adults with developmental disabilities living independently in Northwestern Ontario, including case management, skill-building, and connection to government-funded services. Service offices are located in Kenora, Dryden, and Fort Frances, covering surrounding communities including Sioux Lookout, Ignace, and Red Lake.
• Children's Services Support and intervention services for children and youth from birth to 18 years and their families, including the Infant and Child Development Program and the Child and Youth Program. Accessed through Firefly Central Intake Northwestern Ontario.
• Community Mental Health Support Services Provides Intensive Case Management, Housing Subsidy Program (for OW/ODSP recipients), Dual Diagnosis Services, and Community Wellness Project for adults with mental illness and adults with dual diagnosis (developmental disability and mental illness).
• Kids' Zone Childcare Centres

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful community integration and independent living for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness

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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kenora District Services Board (KDSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKDSB and KACL have partnered on the Homes for Good program to address homelessness in Kenora. The program provides housing subsidies and tenancy support for persons experiencing chronic homelessness, suffering with serious mental illness and addictions. KDSB provides funding and housing authority while KACL provides support services.
• Lake of the Woods Arts CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Arts Hub and creative programming at Community Connections. Collaboration on community arts initiatives.
• Ontario Health North (OHN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding provider for Community Mental Health Support Services including Intensive Case Management and Dual Diagnosis Services. OHN is the provincial health authority providing program funding.
• Developmental Services OntariocoreOthersDSO is the mandated intake point for adult developmental services in Ontario. KACL receives referrals through DSO for services including residential, employment, and community supports.
• Firefly Central Intake Northwestern OntariocoreOthersCentralized intake service for children's services in Northwestern Ontario. Families are referred to KACL's children's programs through Firefly.
• Lutheran Community Care Centre's Passport ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional administrator of Passport funding in Northwestern Ontario. KACL works with Passport holders to coordinate services purchased with their individualized funding.
• Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social ServicescoreOthersPrimary government funder for developmental services programs including Adult Protective Services, residential services, and children's programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Community Living Ontario: Provincial umbrella organization representing Community Living associations across Ontario. Directly comparable as the federated network of which KACL is a regional member; both advocate for and deliver community-based supports to people with developmental disabilities.
• March of Dimes Canada: National Canadian nonprofit providing employment services, independent living, and post-stroke recovery supports including Employment Services and Passport/individualized funding coordination. Directly comparable Employment Services and Passport Services offerings.
• Surrey Place Centre: Toronto-based provider serving people with developmental disabilities, autism, and visual impairment across the lifespan. Comparable as a multi-service developmental services agency offering children's services, clinical supports, and adult programs funded by Ontario ministries.
• Extendicare: Large publicly-traded Canadian provider of long-term care, retirement living, and home health services. Overlaps KACL's Supportive Living and Adult Protective Services offerings but operates at much greater scale and is investor-owned rather than nonprofit.
• Canadian Mental Health Association - Ontario: Provincial division of national CMHA network providing case management, supportive housing, and mental health recovery services. Comparable Community Mental Health Support Services and Housing Subsidy Program offerings for adults with mental illness.

Regional players

• Northwood Children's Services: Kenora-based Children's Mental Health Centre serving Northwestern Ontario children and youth. Directly comparable Children's Services and family support offerings in the same Northwestern Ontario catchment as KACL.

Direct peers

• Vita Community Living Services: Toronto-area nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities through residential, employment, and community participation programs. Directly comparable business model: multi-program Ontario-funded developmental services agency with comparable service taxonomy.
• Community Living Dufferin: Small-town Ontario Community Living association serving Dufferin County with residential, employment, and family support services. Closest scale-comparable peer to KACL given similar regional, multi-program, government-funded operating model.
• Participation House Support Services: Ontario nonprofit operating residential and community participation programs for adults with developmental disabilities. Comparable residential/supportive living model and government funding structure to KACL.
• Reena: York Region-based nonprofit providing residential, day program, and community participation supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. Comparable to KACL's Supportive Living (ISS/ESIL/OSIL/ISIL/Host Family) and Community Connections service lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KenoraACL
• Facebookfacebook.com/kenora.acl
• Instagraminstagram.com/kenora_acl/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Kenora Association for Community Living