Quebec Franchise Council

What Quebec Franchise Council does

The Quebec Franchise Council (Conseil Québécois de la Franchise, CQF) is a not-for-profit industry association founded in 1984 (as CNFP, rebranded to CQF in 2004) and headquartered in Laval, Quebec. It serves as the official representative of the Quebec franchise sector before federal and provincial governments, municipal administrations, and public/parapublic organizations. The CQF represents over 460 franchisors and 8,000+ franchisees across Quebec, with 177 active members spanning franchisors, franchisees, suppliers, and institutional partners.

Its core offerings are organized around a tiered membership model: franchisor tiers range from Gold ($600/year) to Platinum ($1,200) to Diamond ($2,500), with franchisee memberships at $100-$375, supplier memberships at $750-$5,000, and institutional memberships at $500. Members receive directory visibility, activity discounts of 5-50%, training access, networking, and voting rights at general assemblies. The organization operates the Académie Québécoise de la Franchise (AQF), a wholly-owned training subsidiary founded in 2013, the Collège des experts advisory committee (est. 2015), an Ombudsman dispute-resolution service, and the Femmes en toute Franchise committee (2018). Signature events include the annual Maillon d'or Gala (since 2001) and the annual Golf Tournament (23rd edition in 2026).

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership fees, event registration (Golf Tournament ticket tiers from $295-$1,950, Maillon d'or Gala), AQF training programs, and Grand Partenaire sponsorships from five flagship partners: Banque Nationale du Canada, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Fasken, PayFacto, and QFOF. Distribution is regional (Quebec), delivered through the WordPress-based website (cqf.ca), the academie.cqf.ca training platform, in-person events, and an internal member social network. The underlying technology stack is conventional web CMS with no proprietary technology, no public APIs, and no AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Quebec Franchise Council

Legal name

Conseil Québécois de la Franchise

Website

https://cqf.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Quebec Franchise Council (Conseil Québécois de la Franchise) is a not-for-profit industry association founded in 1984 that represents over 460 franchisors and 8,000+ franchisees in Quebec, providing tiered membership services, professional training through its AQF academy, advocacy before governments, and signature industry events including the Maillon d'or Gala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHACAA

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Franchise industry association
• Professional franchise training
• Franchise networking events
• Membership association services
• Franchise advocacy representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Laval

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The CQF generates revenue primarily through tiered annual membership fees from franchisors (Or $600, Platine $1,200, Diamant $2,500), franchisees ($100-$375), suppliers ($750-$5,000), and institutional members ($500). Membership provides access to networking, training, advocacy, and member benefits.
2. Event Registration and Activities: Revenue from event activities including the annual Golf Tournament (member tickets $495-$1,695, non-member $550-$1,950), Maillon d'or Gala, franchise summits, and networking events with various price points.
3. Training and Academy Programs: Revenue generated through the Académie québécoise de la franchise, which offers professional development programs for franchise networks including conferences, seminars, workshops, and training sessions with member discounts (5% to 10-20% off).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Quebec Franchise Council (Conseil Québécois de la Franchise, CQF) is a not-for-profit franchise industry association that delivers tiered membership programs for franchisors, franchisees, suppliers, and institutional partners. It provides industry training through the Académie québécoise de la franchise (AQF), conflict resolution via an Ombudsman service, regulatory advocacy before federal and provincial governments, and signature annual industry events including the Maillon d'or Gala and the Golf Tournament.

Product overview

The Conseil Québécois de la Franchise (CQF) is a franchise industry association organized around a membership-based service model. Its core offerings include tiered membership programs for franchisors (Gold, Platinum, Diamond), franchisees, suppliers, and institutional partners, providing directory visibility, networking, ombudsman services, and discounts on activities. The organization operates the Académie Québécois de la Franchise (AQF) for professional training and development, delivers the Collège des experts advisory committee for ethics and best practices guidance, and hosts annual events including the Maillon d'or Gala (since 2001) and Golf Tournament (23rd edition in 2026). The Temple de la Renommées recognizes industry impact leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Académie québéoqcoise de la franchise (AQF): Reference in skills development for franchise networks in Quebec, offering professional training and development programs for franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers.
• Collège des experts du CQF
• Gala Maillon d'or
• Femmes en toute Franchise

Products and services

• Franchisor Membership Tiered annual membership for franchisors at Gold ($600), Platinum ($1,200), and Diamond ($2,500) levels, providing directory listings, social media visibility, discounts on CQF activities (10-50%), access to Academy training, and voting rights at the general assembly.
• Franchisee Membership Annual membership for individual franchisees at $100/year and multi-franchisees at $375/year, providing access to advice, networking, ombudsman services, training, 10-20% activity discounts, and directory listings.
• Supplier Membership Annual membership for companies supplying goods and services to franchise networks, starting at $750/year, providing directory listings, 10-20% activity discounts, and eligibility for Governor membership from second year.
• Institutional Membership Annual membership at $500/year for government bodies and institutions supporting franchise sector development, providing directory visibility, partner section listing, online request tracking system, and video section access.
• Académie québécoise de la franchise (AQF) Professional training and development platform founded in 2013, offering co-development, interactive, and reflection-based training programs delivered by field-experienced instructors for franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers.
• Ombudsman Service An early-intervention conflict resolution service for CQF members, listening to problematic situations between network partners and helping formulate requests to maintain viable commercial relationships before formal mediation.
• Maillon d'or Gala Annual awards ceremony established in 2001, with the 2025 edition marking the 24th annual ceremony, honoring excellence in the Quebec franchise industry across categories including innovation, marketing, societal projects, Franchisee of the Year, and Franchisor of the Year.
• CQF Golf Tournament Annual networking golf tournament bringing together franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers, with member and non-member ticket options including single player ($495-$550), quatuor ($1,695-$1,950), and cocktail dinner ($295-$350).

Named customers4 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

26 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• FaskenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner and law firm providing legal expertise in franchise law. One of five limited major partners with logo visibility across all CQF platforms.
• PayFactoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner providing simplified and cost-effective payment solutions for franchise networks.
• QFOF (Quebec Franchising Future)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner supporting the future development of franchising in Quebec.
• MedialcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiamond partner with unlimited membership. Benefits include logo display on most CQF platforms and participation in the Bureau des Gouverneurs.
• FoodtasticcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiamond partner, one of the major Quebec franchise operators with over 30 brands and 1,200 establishments across Canada.
• Les Moulins LaFayettecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiamond partner in the franchise network.
• Edo JaponcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum partner and Japanese-inspired quick service restaurant chain operating over 200 establishments nationally, returning to Quebec with expansion plans.
• Sports ExpertscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum partner and official partner of the CQF Temple de la Renommée.
• Cain LamarrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum partner and law firm specializing in franchise law, hosting CQF events at their Montreal office.
• Cora FranchisecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum partner, established restaurant franchise brand.
• GUS (Groupe des propriétaires уні)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum partner in the franchise network.
• ChicocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum partner franchise brand.
• St-Hubert (Rôtisseries St-Hubert)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum partner, major Quebec restaurant group investing $50M in network modernization and expansion.
• Canadian Franchise Association (CFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner, national franchise association for Canada.
• Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc de Rimouski (SJSR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner.
• Économie et Innovation QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner representing Quebec's Ministry of Economy and Innovation.
• Entreprendre SherbrookeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner supporting entrepreneurship in Sherbrooke region.
• FFF (Fédération Française de Franchise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner, French franchise federation supporting international franchise development.
• ID GatineauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner for economic development in Gatineau region.
• Innovation Canada (IC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner, federal government agency supporting business innovation.
• Promotion SaguenayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner for economic development in Saguenay region.
• CCIFCM (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Française au Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner, French Chamber of Commerce in Canada supporting international franchise relations.
• Collège MontmorencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner, CEGEP institution in Laval.
• École d'Entrepreneuriat de QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner, entrepreneurship school in Quebec.
• Les Produits du QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner promoting Quebec-made products.
• Molson CoorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial partner of the CQF Temple de la Renommage alongside Sports Experts.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cqf.ca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conseil-quebecois-de-la-franchise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Quebec Franchise Council