What Canadian Elevator Contractors Association does

The Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA), also known as ACEA (Association Canadienne des Entrepreneurs d'Ascenseurs), is a non-profit trade association founded in 1972 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario. CECA represents independent elevator contractors and vertical lift suppliers across Canada through four regional chapters — Eastern (Quebec and Atlantic provinces), Central (Ontario), Prairie (Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan), and Western (British Columbia, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut) — plus international members. The organization is led by a Board of Directors representing member companies (including TK Elevator Canada, Delta Elevator, Garaventa Lift, and CKG Elevator, among others) and is managed by a small staff of one to ten, comprising Executive Director Catharine Bothwell and Administrative Assistant Brandy Hancock. Julie Gilby, President of CKG Elevator, currently serves as the 26th President, the first woman to hold the position (elected 2023).

CECA's core products are the Maintenance Control Program (MCP) and the Private Residence Division (PRD). The MCP is a standardized set of guidelines, procedures, and logbooks for elevator maintenance that has been formally adopted in CSA A17/B44 elevator codes in the 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022 editions. The PRD is a dedicated home/residential elevator certification program operated through the cecaprdregistry.com portal, which provides a public registry of certified residential elevator installers and a homeowner training course. Supporting member benefits include the Supplier Directory, annual conventions (the 53rd is planned for Quebec City, June 8-11, 2027), scholarship programs for elevator mechanic training, the Elevate-HER women's professional development initiative, the Safety Rider elementary school program, and a Canadian Edition of the Elevator Industry Field Employee's Safety Handbook launched April 2026.

CECA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues on a subscription-recurring basis: Contractor and Supplier memberships at $595/year and Dual memberships at $845/year, with Subscription and Institutional tiers available at unspecified rates. Additional revenue is derived from convention registrations, event sponsorships, and program-related offerings. Membership processing can take up to 30 days post-application. CECA holds formal roles on the CSA B44 Code Committee, the Elevating Devices Advisory Council (EDAC), the Training and Certification Advisory Board (TCAB), and the Field Advisory Committee (FAC), giving the organization direct influence over Canadian elevator safety standards.

Name

Canadian Elevator Contractors Association

Legal name

Canadian Elevator Contractors Association

Website

https://ceca-acea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Canadian non-profit trade association founded in 1972, representing independent elevator contractors and vertical lift suppliers across four Canadian regions. Operates the Maintenance Control Program (adopted in CSA codes) and the Private Residence Division registry, funded primarily through tiered annual membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Markham

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CECA generates revenue through annual membership dues from multiple categories: Contractor and Supplier memberships at $595/year, Dual membership at $845/year. Additional revenue streams include event registrations, convention attendance, and potential sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CECA is a non-profit trade association that sells memberships to elevator contractors, vertical lift suppliers, dual-role companies, consultants, and institutional buyers across Canada. Its flagship substantive product is the Maintenance Control Program (MCP), a set of maintenance guidelines and logbooks adopted into CSA codes (2013, 2016, 2019, 2022), distributed to contractor members through a member portal. It also operates the Private Residence Division (PRD) registry for home elevator installers and delivers annual conventions, networking events, scholarships, and industry advocacy.

Product overview

CECA is a non-profit trade association (Canadian Elevator Contractors Association/ACEA) serving independent elevator contractors and vertical lift suppliers since 1972. The organization offers a unified platform of member services centered around its core products: the Private Residence Division (PRD) which manages home elevator standards and certification through the PRD Registry, and the Maintenance Control Program (MCP) which provides standardized guidelines and documentation procedures widely adopted in CSA codes (2013, 2016, 2019, 2022). Supporting these core offerings are member benefits including the Supplier Directory, scholarship programs for elevator mechanic training, the Elevate-HER women-focused professional development events, and annual conventions. The association operates across four Canadian regions (Eastern, Central, Prairie, Western) with representation on regulatory committees including CSA B44 Code and the Elevating Devices Advisory Council (EDAC).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maintenance Control Program (MCP) Set of maintenance guidelines, procedures, and logbooks developed by CECA and its members, widely accepted and adopted into CSA codes (2013, 2016, 2019, 2022). Distributed to contractor members through the member portal.
• Private Residence Division (PRD) Registry Online registry listing CECA member contractors who install home and residential elevators to CECA standards, plus homeowner training courses. Allows homeowners to find certified installers and supports contractor lead generation.
• MCP Member Area Restricted member portal hosting MCP documents and logbooks for contractor members only. Provides access to the standardized maintenance documentation library.
• Annual Conventions Annual industry conventions delivering networking and industry education, including upcoming events in Victoria 2026 and Quebec City 2027. Open to members and industry participants.
• Scholarship Program Scholarship program supporting members and member employees pursuing education to become licensed elevator mechanics.
• Supplier Directory Product marketing directory for supplier members and dual members, providing visibility for vertical lift suppliers to the contractor network. Includes a public-facing version and a member-only full directory.

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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 core and minor.

• National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA maintains active networking relationships with NAEC to participate in consultation processes for new elevator code proposals and to collaborate on industry standards and best practices across North America.
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) - B44 Code CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA sits on the Canadian Standards Association group developing standards for elevator and escalator equipment. The association actively participates in the evolution of CSA A17/B44 codes.
• Elevating Devices Advisory Council (EDAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA participates in EDAC which provides a forum for regulatory bodies to consult with industry stakeholders, safety experts, and consumer representatives for informed regulatory decisions.
• Training and Certification Advisory Board (TCAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA has representatives on TCAB for Elevating Devices Mechanics which assists regulatory bodies in developing training standards, providing input into certification policies and procedures, and disseminating information to the industry.
• Field Advisory Committee (FAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA participates in FAC which provides a forum for regulatory bodies to consult with industry on safety strategies and receive valuable input and advice to guide decision making and operations.
• Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA maintains relationships with IHSA for industry safety resources and training information sharing.
• Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation Of Canada (EESFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA supports the Safety Rider program administered by EESFC, promoting elevator safety education in elementary schools across Canada.
• Elevator WorldminorOthersCECA provides Elevator World magazine subscriptions to members as part of membership benefits.
• Durham CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA provides links to Durham College's Mechanical Technician Elevating Devices program and apprenticeship resources for aspiring elevator mechanics in Ontario.
• Mohawk CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA provides links to Mohawk College's Mechanical Technician Elevating Devices program and Elevating Devices Mechanic Apprenticeship program for Ontario residents seeking elevator industry careers.
• Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA maintains liaison with all levels of government to advocate for the elevator industry, work with government agencies, and influence regulatory policy.
• International Union of Elevator ConstructorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECA acts as representative of its members in negotiations with the International Union of Elevator Constructors and other labour organizations.
• Insurance CompaniesminorOthersCECA works with insurance companies to ensure member contractors receive equitable insurance rates.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII): NEII is the broader US elevator industry trade association representing manufacturers, suppliers and contractors under one umbrella. It is comparable to CECA as a national industry trade body but operates at a wider scope that includes OEMs, making it a broader incumbent rather than a direct contractor-only peer.

Others

• International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC): IUEC is the labor union representing elevator constructors across North America. It is comparable as a key industry stakeholder that CECA engages with on labor relations on behalf of contractor members, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct peer.
• Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation of Canada (EESFC): EESFC is a Canadian not-for-profit focused on elevator and escalator safety, administering the Safety Rider school program that CECA actively supports. It is comparable as an adjacent Canadian industry organization with overlapping safety and education missions.

Regional players

• European Lift Association (ELA): ELA is the European trade association representing the lift and escalator industry across the EU. It is comparable to CECA as a regional counterpart trade body operating in a different geography with similar industry advocacy and standards engagement.
• Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA): LEIA is the UK trade association for the lift, escalator and component industry. It is comparable to CECA as a regional counterpart serving a defined national market with similar membership, training and standards-development functions.
• Japan Elevator Association: The Japan Elevator Association is the Japanese national trade association for the elevator and escalator industry. It is comparable to CECA as a regional counterpart organization serving elevator contractors, manufacturers and suppliers in a mature market with stringent safety and maintenance standards.
• China Elevator Association: The China Elevator Association is the national trade body representing China's elevator industry, the world's largest installed base. It is comparable to CECA as the national industry association for elevator contractors and suppliers in its respective market.

Direct peers

• National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC): NAEC is the US trade association for independent elevator contractors and the most directly comparable peer to CECA, serving the same contractor constituency in the adjacent North American market. CECA maintains an active mutual partnership with NAEC for code consultation and standards collaboration, confirming functional equivalence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-elevator-contractors-association-ceca
• Facebookfacebook.com/elevatorsCECA

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Canadian Elevator Contractors Association