SHORE Centre

What SHORE Centre does

SHORE Centre is a registered Canadian charity founded in 1972 (originally as Planned Parenthood Kitchener-Waterloo) that delivers sexual and reproductive health services across Waterloo Region and Guelph, Ontario. Its core offerings combine direct clinical care at a Waterloo clinic and a Guelph CHC satellite site (reproductive health, STI testing, contraception counselling, pregnancy options support, and abortion referrals) with community-based programs including K-12 sexual health education workshops, newcomer health programs in multiple languages, the Sex-Ability program for people with developmental disabilities, and Stork Secrets perinatal peer support groups. Underlying delivery relies on standard web infrastructure (WordPress site, InputHealth booking portal, the Choice Connect national abortion-provider directory) rather than proprietary technology, and curricula follow the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education and Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum.

The business model blends four revenue streams: charitable donations and fundraising, tiered fee-for-service workshop billing to schools and community organizations (per the 2025-2026 Fee Schedule), clinical services partially covered by OHIP, and government and community grants. The organization is a Living Wage Employer, is affiliated with the International Planned Parenthood Federation through Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, and is a member of the National Abortion Federation, giving it both reputational standing and access to national advocacy infrastructure.

Go-to-market is community-led: services are delivered by appointment at the clinic, via in-person and virtual workshops embedded in school and agency partnerships, and through peer-led support groups. As of 2025, Education, Peer Support, and Counselling programs have been temporarily paused due to funding shortfalls, while core clinical services continue and a new three-year Strategic Plan (StratPlan-25-28) guides the organization's response.

Name

SHORE Centre

Legal name

SHORE Centre

Website

https://shorecentre.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SHORE Centre is a Waterloo Region-based Canadian charity that delivers sexual and reproductive health clinical services, K-12 education workshops, newcomer programs, and perinatal peer support, funded by donations, grants, OHIP, and fee-for-service workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

NAICS

Family Planning Centers (62141), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Planning & Contraception (Including Abortion Care) (HLAKAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sexual & Reproductive Health Services (EDALAFAG)

Keywords

• Sexual health education
• Reproductive health clinic
• Pregnancy options counselling
• Newcomer health programs
• Perinatal peer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitchener

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable donations and fundraising: SHORE Centre is a registered charity (Charitable Number: 129795514RR0001) that relies on donations and fundraising to support operations. The website features a donation page and the organization hosts fundraising activities.
2. Fee-for-service workshops: The organization offers fee-for-service sexual health education workshops for schools and community organizations under a tiered pricing model. Subsidies are available upon request for schools with limited budgets.
3. Clinical services: Medical and clinical reproductive health services are provided at the clinic, including abortion referrals, contraception counselling, STI testing, and pregnancy options support. Services may be covered by public health insurance (OHIP) or provided at low/no cost.
4. Grant funding: The organization has experienced significant funding challenges leading to temporary pauses in some programs. The organization is sustained in part through government and community grants that support core clinical care.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SHORE Centre is a registered Canadian charity that delivers sexual and reproductive health clinical care (contraception counselling, STI testing, abortion referrals, pregnancy options support) at its Waterloo clinic and Guelph satellite, alongside fee-for-service sexual health education workshops for schools and community groups, multilingual newcomer health programs, perinatal peer support, and accessible sex education for people with developmental disabilities.

Product overview

SHORE Centre offers exceptional and inclusive sexual and reproductive health services as a single unified offering rather than a platform architecture. The organization's portfolio consists of clinical medical services at their Waterloo clinic and Guelph satellite site, combined with community programs including Sexual Health Education workshops (for schools and community groups), Newcomer Health Programs (women's, men's, mother-daughter, and pregnant newcomer groups), Sex-Ability (for developmental disabilities), Stork Secrets perinatal peer support, and Pregnancy Options counseling. Supporting these programs are educational resources covering Birth Control Methods, STI information, and parenting guidance, along with the Choice Connect digital portal for abortion provider referrals. The organization provides free supplies including pregnancy tests, condoms, dental dams, and lubricant. Note: Education, Peer Support, and Counselling programs are currently paused due to funding challenges while clinical services continue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reproductive Health Clinic Clinical medical services for sexual and reproductive health delivered at the Waterloo clinic (50 Westmount Rd N, Unit D1) and Guelph CHC Satellite Site (176 Wyndram St N) by appointment only. Includes contraception counselling, STI testing and treatment, pregnancy options support, abortion referrals, and related reproductive health care, with services free or covered by OHIP.
• Sexual Health Education Workshops Evidence-based, comprehensive sexual health education workshops delivered in schools and community groups for all ages, following the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education and the Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum. Available in virtual (Google Meet) and in-person formats. Sold under SHORE Centre Fee Schedule 2025-2026 tiered pricing with subsidies available on request. Currently paused due to funding challenges.
• Newcomer Health Programs Language-specific closed-group, multi-week health programs for newcomers including Women's Health Program (6 weeks), Men's Health Program (6 weeks), Mother-Daughter Health Program (8 weeks), and Pregnant Newcomer Program (6 weeks). Cover family planning, reproductive health, healthy relationships and healthcare navigation. Free to participants with bus tickets and childcare provided. Hosted in partnership with local agencies and co-facilitated with Dr. Yassar Ayad for the Men's Health Program. Currently paused due to funding challenges.
• Sex-Ability Program Sexual health program for youth and adults with developmental disabilities consisting of weekly workshops covering relationships, consent, anatomy, safer sex, and decision-making. Delivered in partnership with Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region and accessible through Extend-A-Family's Wellness Training program. Recognizes parents, caregivers, and support staff as essential participants. Currently paused due to funding challenges.
• Stork Secrets Perinatal Peer Support Perinatal peer support group program for expectant and postpartum parents (including those who have had children through birth, adoption, or surrogacy) experiencing adjustment challenges or perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Delivered in English and Arabic, virtually via Zoom and in-person at community locations including Stanley Park Community Centre and Forest Hill Park. Currently paused due to funding challenges.
• Pregnancy Options Support Confidential, non-judgmental counselling and decision-making assistance for pregnancy options including abortion, adoption, and parenting. Provides free pregnancy tests and supplies. Includes referrals to abortion providers through the Choice Connect portal and to adoption and parenting resources. Currently paused due to funding challenges (counselling portion) while clinical referrals continue.
• Choice Connect Abortion Provider Portal Dedicated online portal (choiceconnect.ca) that helps individuals across Canada find abortion providers that fit their needs, extending SHORE Centre's abortion referral capability beyond the Waterloo Region.

Named customers5 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHORE Centre is affiliated with the International Planned Parenthood Federation through its membership with Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, connecting the organization to a global network advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Action Canada for Sexual Health and RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHORE Centre is a member of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, which provides affiliation with the International Planned Parenthood Federation and connects the organization to national advocacy efforts.
• National Abortion Federation (NAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHORE Centre is a member of the National Abortion Federation, connecting the organization to abortion providers and related health professionals across North America and supporting the organization's abortion referral services.
• Extend-A-Family Waterloo RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sex-Ability program (sexual health for people with developmental disabilities) is presented in partnership with Extend-A-Family, a developmental services organization in Kitchener. Participants can access workshops through Extend-A-Family's Wellness Training program. SHORE Centre recognizes that parents, caregivers, and support staff are essential to those they care for.
• Dr. Hoda Ghonim (Newcomer Health Programs facilitator)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHORE's Newcomer Health Programs are facilitated by Dr. Hoda Ghonim and hosted in partnership with local agencies. Programs are closed group, multi-week sessions providing newcomers with accurate health information, access to community resources, and non-judgmental support in their own language.
• Dr. Yassar AyadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Yassar Ayad co-facilitates the Men's Health Program within SHORE's Newcomer Health Programs in partnership.
• Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSHORE Centre delivers sexual health education workshops in WRDSB schools under a collaborative arrangement. Workshops follow Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum requirements. WRDSB-specific booking policies apply (e.g., minimum 2 combined classes per workshop for in-person).
• AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo & Area (ACCKWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACCKWA is referenced as a partner for STI/HIV testing and education. SHORE Centre links to ACCKWA resources on safer sex and technology, trans youth support, and allyship, and the organizations work together on community health education in Waterloo Region.
• SASC/Male AlliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community agency partner in the Educators section, providing sexual assault support and male ally programming alongside SHORE's educational services.
• Youth Sexual Health Action Group (YSHAG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community agency partner supporting youth sexual health education efforts alongside SHORE Centre in Waterloo Region.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Head & Hands / À Deux Mains: Montreal-based youth-focused sexual health and wellness non-profit offering clinical services, peer support, and education for youth — partial overlap with SHORE's Stork Secrets and education programs but with a narrower youth-only focus.

Direct peers

• Island Sexual Health Society: Victoria, BC non-profit providing clinical sexual health services and education across Vancouver Island — comparable in scope (clinic + community education) and similar in regional-anchor operating model.
• Calgary Sexual Health Centre: Calgary-based non-profit delivering sexual and reproductive health clinical services, education workshops, and community programming — directly parallel to SHORE's model but operating at city scale in Alberta.
• Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights: National Canadian sexual and reproductive health advocacy and network organization, of which SHORE Centre is a member. Action Canada connects SHORE to the IPPF and operates parallel programs in policy, education, and clinical referrals across Canada — the closest functional peer.
• Sexuality Education Resource Centre (SERC) Manitoba: Manitoba-based sexual health education and resource non-profit — directly comparable to SHORE's education, training, and resource-distribution programming in a similar mid-sized Canadian region.
• Planned Parenthood Toronto: Toronto-based sexual health non-profit offering clinical services, education, and community programs — directly comparable to SHORE's integrated clinic-plus-education-plus-peer-support model, just at larger urban scale.
• Options for Sexual Health (OPT): British Columbia's provincial sexual health non-profit operating clinics and education programs across the province. Highly comparable to SHORE as a clinical-plus-education SRH charity serving a defined Canadian region.

Regional players

• Saskatoon Sexual Health: Saskatchewan-based sexual health clinic and education provider offering similar clinical and education services but anchored in a different Prairie region — a regional peer with comparable program mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SHORECentreWR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeOO4mCJLXrvRAKy3uNhBOQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/shorecentre
• Instagraminstagram.com/shorecentrewr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shorecentrewr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

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 SHORE Centre