Tel-Aide Montréal

What Tel-Aide Montréal does

Tel-Aide Montréal is a Quebec-based nonprofit charitable organization founded on January 30, 1971, operating the province's first active listening telephone service for individuals experiencing emotional distress, mental health challenges, loneliness, or simply needing someone to talk to. The organization is led by General Director Céline Bouquin and is supported by approximately 170 trained volunteer listeners plus a small core staff of about eight coordinators overseeing training, volunteer experience, communications, philanthropy, and administration. Its core product is a free, confidential, and anonymous 24/7 active listening phone line accessible across Quebec via a Montreal number (514 935-1101) and a toll-free number (1 877 935-1101), with service available in both French and English. Since inception, the line has answered over 2.4 million calls, with approximately 22,700 calls answered per year.

The organization's offering is built around an empathetic active listening methodology rather than proprietary technology, with volunteers trained to listen without judgment, ask open-ended questions, and reflect back what callers share. Complementary programs include the Night Listening service (operational 11pm to 7am, relaunched May 2025), the RPA Project ("Giving Voice Back to Seniors") partnering with senior residences and community organizations, and the Janette Bertrand Wellness Award program recognizing community volunteers. Tel-Aide Montréal does not operate a digital platform, mobile app, or API; all service distribution is human-mediated via telephone and community partnerships including Dial 211 referrals.

The organization is funded primarily through individual donations, corporate partnerships, government subsidies, and annual fundraising, with no revenue figures publicly disclosed. Its 2025-2028 fundraising cycle is anchored by Desjardins as principal partner, KPMG as associate partner, and Beneva as platinum partner. The annual TAM-TAM DON benefit event (held in 2026 at Le Mount Stephen) is the flagship fundraising vehicle. Operating as a registered charitable organization under Quebec law, Tel-Aide Montréal serves the entire Quebec population with no geographic restrictions beyond Quebec, governed by an independent board of directors, with no parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Tel-Aide Montréal

Legal name

Tel-Aide Montréal

Website

https://telaidemontreal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tel-Aide Montréal is a Quebec nonprofit founded in 1971 operating a free, confidential, anonymous 24/7 active listening phone line in French and English, staffed by 170+ trained volunteers serving individuals experiencing emotional distress, loneliness, or mental health challenges across Quebec.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Listening Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety Check-Ins, Wellness Calls & Monitoring (Non-Clinical) (HSABAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conversation, Cognitive Stimulation & Activity Facilitation (HSABAAAB)

Keywords

• Active listening services
• Mental health helpline
• Emotional support hotline
• Crisis intervention services
• Senior wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Tel-Aide Montréal is a registered charitable organization that relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and community members. The organization accepts tax-deductible donations and issues official receipts for tax purposes. Donations fund the listening service, volunteer training, and operational continuity.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners (Desjardins, KPMG, Beneva) provide financial support through multi-year partnership agreements, particularly for the TAM-TAM DON annual fundraising campaign 2025-2028.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual benefit evening (TAM-TAM DON) generates revenue through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and silent auctions. The 2026 event celebrated the organization's 55th anniversary at Le Mount Stephen.
4. Government Grants: Tel-Aide Montréal may receive government subsidies and foundation contributions to support operations, as indicated by their description of being 'financed primarily by donations, subsidies and fundraising campaigns.'

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tel-Aide Montréal operates a free, confidential, and anonymous 24/7 active listening telephone service available in French and English across Quebec. Trained volunteers provide empathetic, non-judgmental listening to callers experiencing emotional distress, loneliness, stress, anxiety, or simply needing someone to talk to, without giving advice or solutions. The service is complemented by specialized programs including overnight Night Listening and the RPA Project for seniors.

Product overview

Tel-Aide Montréal offers a single unified service: a free, confidential, and anonymous 24/7 active telephone listening line staffed by trained volunteers. The core Active Listening Service is complemented by specialized programs including the Night Listening service (11pm-7am), the RPA Project for seniors in living residences, and the annual TAM-TAM DON benefit event. Additionally, the organization runs the Janette Bertrand Wellness Award program recognizing community volunteers, and provides volunteer listener training. All services are available in French and English across Quebec.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TAM-TAM DON: Annual benefit evening and major fundraising campaign supporting Tel-Aide Montréal's listening services
• Prix Bien-être Janette-Bertrand
• RPA Project – Giving Voice Back to Seniors
• Night Listening Service

Products and services

• Active Listening Service (Ligne d'écoute active) Free, confidential, and anonymous telephone listening service available 24/7 in French and English, connecting callers with trained volunteers who provide empathetic, non-judgmental active listening support.
• RPA Project – Giving Voice Back to Seniors (Redonner la parole aux aînés) Partnership program with senior living residences (RPA) providing active listening opportunities for seniors, including staff training, distributing materials with contact information, and volunteer engagement to reduce senior isolation.
• Night Listening (Nuits de l'écoute) Specialized overnight listening service operating from 11pm to 7am, providing support during vulnerable nighttime hours when most resources are unavailable.
• Volunteer Listener Training Comprehensive training program for volunteer listeners covering active listening techniques, empathetic communication, and managing various caller situations, with ongoing supervision and support throughout their volunteering.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,700+ calls answered per year, over 2.4 million total since 1971
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DesjardinscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Desjardins is the main partner (Partenaire principal) of Tel-Aide Montréal. They committed to a three-year partnership supporting the TAM-TAM DON 2025-2028 major fundraising campaign. Nathalie Larue, First Vice-President of Personal Services and Cooperative Life, serves as co-chair of honor for the 2026 benefit evening.
• KPMGcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025KPMG joined as an associate partner (Partenaire associé) with a three-year partnership supporting the TAM-TAM DON 2025-2028 campaign. Stéphan Drolet, Managing Partner of KPMG in Quebec, serves as co-chair of the campaign cabinet.
• BenevaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Beneva is a platinum partner (Partenaire platine) of Tel-Aide Montréal, supporting the organization's mission and fundraising efforts.
• Intact Insurance, Solution RGNA, and Groupe APIminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Collective gesture providing new chairs for Tel-Aide Montréal's premises, demonstrating corporate community support.
• Maison de l'Innovation socialeminorOthersRecognized the RPA Project (Redonner la parole aux aînés) for its innovative approach to senior isolation prevention and fostering autonomy through active listening.
• Senior Residences (RPAs) and Community OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with private residences for seniors (RPAs), associations, community organizations, and other meeting places to reach seniors and create caring listening spaces. The RPA Project aims to build trust between seniors, their living environments, and Tel-Aide Montréal.
• RêvanousminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization co-founded by Marjolaine St-Jules, focused on housing autonomy for adults with mild intellectual disability or autism. Connected through the Janette Bertrand Wellness Award.
• OMHM (Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OMHM negotiated agreements with Rêvanous to reserve studio apartments for adults with MID/ASD, supporting the housing autonomy initiative.
• GRT Bâtir son QuartierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with Rêvanous to design and build Habitations Rêvanous under the AccèsLogis program, innovative adapted housing units with social mix.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Lifeline Australia: Lifeline is Australia's national 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention service operating across 41 centers. Comparable as a volunteer-staffed phone crisis support nonprofit, but operates in a different geography (Australia) and with a broader crisis intervention mandate.

Direct peers

• Tel-Jeunes (L'Appui): Tel-Jeunes is Quebec's primary telephone help line for youth and their families, operating a similar volunteer-staffed, confidential listening model via phone. Directly comparable in service delivery mechanism (active listening, Quebec-focused, bilingual capable, nonprofit) though focused on a younger demographic.
• SOS Violence conjugale: Quebec's provincial helpline for victims of domestic violence, offering 24/7 confidential phone support in multiple languages. Comparable as a Quebec-wide nonprofit telephone crisis support service with trained listeners, though specialized in a specific issue area.
• Suicide Action Montréal: Suicide Action Montréal operates a 24/7 crisis line serving Greater Montreal with trained interveners. Directly comparable in mission (emotional support via phone) and Quebec/Montreal focus, though specialized specifically in suicide intervention rather than general active listening.
• Jeunesse, J'écoute (Kids Help Phone): Canada's national 24/7 e-mental health service for young people, offering phone, text, and chat-based support. Directly comparable as a nonprofit crisis listening line with trained volunteers/counselors, though national in scope and youth-focused rather than all-ages.
• The Silver Line (UK): The Silver Line is a UK free, confidential helpline for older people, providing information, friendship, and support 24/7. Directly comparable to Tel-Aide's RPA Project for seniors — both provide phone-based emotional support and connection services specifically for senior populations.
• Centre de prévention du suicide de Québec: Quebec City-based suicide prevention center offering 24/7 crisis intervention by phone. Comparable as a Quebec nonprofit telephone crisis support service with volunteer/professional responders, though regionally focused on Quebec City and crisis-specific.

Emerging players

• Crisis Text Line: Crisis Text Line provides 24/7 text-based emotional support across the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland. Comparable as a volunteer-staffed emotional support nonprofit, though differentiated by its text-first channel versus Tel-Aide's voice-only approach, highlighting Tel-Aide's channel gap.

Broad incumbents

• Info-Social 811 (Quebec Health Line): Info-Social 811 is the Quebec government's free, confidential psychosocial helpline available 24/7. Comparable as a phone-based psychosocial/mental health support service in Quebec, though operated by government-employed professionals rather than volunteers and addressing a broader social services mandate.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): The 988 Lifeline is the US national 24/7 crisis support network connecting callers to local crisis centers. Comparable as a large-scale nonprofit telephone crisis support system, though federally coordinated and clinically staffed rather than volunteer-based, and US-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tel_aide
• Facebookfacebook.com/telaidemontreal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tel-aide-montreal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Tel-Aide Montréal