Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec

What Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec does

Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec (ACEQ) is a registered nonprofit community organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Rimouski, Quebec. It provides free cancer support services to patients and their families across the four regions of Eastern Quebec: Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie, and Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Services include accommodation, oncology massage therapy, psychosocial support, art therapy, comfort kits, caregiver support, adapted clothing and breast prostheses, and wellness programming. The organization operates a board-governed structure with approximately 25 employees and a network of more than 2,000 volunteers.

The organization operates four physical/digital service assets. Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau, opened in 1995, is a 38-room (76-person capacity) lodging facility connected by interior corridor to the Centre hospitalier régional de Rimouski's oncology department; it is the largest operating hospitality facility for cancer patients in Quebec. The Centre de mieux-être Cendrine et Philippe, built in 2014 at a cost of $900,000 as an annex to the Hôtellerie, is the only wellness center dedicated to cancer patients east of Quebec City. Chez Martine is a specialized boutique providing breast prostheses and adapted clothing. verslemieuxetre.tv, launched in September 2017 in partnership with TELUS and PQM.net, is a digital broadcast platform delivering live and on-demand wellness content (yoga, nutrition, art therapy, fatigue and sleep management, caregiver support) to cancer patients remotely across all four regions. The Friperie de l'Est, a social-economy thrift store created in 1996, generates ongoing donations to the association.

ACEQ's revenue is generated entirely through charitable fundraising rather than commercial sales. Total funds raised reached $2,031,450 in 2025, with 100% reinvested in Eastern Quebec communities. Diversified revenue streams include: individual donations (door-to-door Porte-à-porte campaign raised $191,725 in 2024 across 1,207 volunteer canvassers); the Loterie qui fait du bien annual lottery ($260,854 in 2025 from ~23,445 tickets; transitioned to fully electronic ticket sales and digital draws in February 2026); the Défi Vélo Plein Air cycling event (record $303,293 in 2025, cumulative >$2 million since 1999); Friperie de l'Est thrift store profits (>$1.6 million cumulative over 20 years; $212,920 in 2016); the Match solidarité cancer hockey partnership with L'Océanic de Rimouski (>$32,000 since 2021); the Tim Hortons Biscuit sourire campaign; and a corporate campaign targeting Eastern Quebec businesses. The association's GTM is community-led and event-driven, supported by direct service delivery to patients and families.

Name

Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec

Legal name

Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec

Website

https://aceq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec (ACEQ) is a Rimouski-based nonprofit, founded 1982, that provides free accommodation, wellness programs, and psychosocial support to cancer patients and families across Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie, and Îles-de-la-Madeleine, funded through diversified charitable fundraising campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gynecologic Oncology & Women’s Cancer Centers (HLAFAJAK)

Keywords

• Cancer support services
• Patient lodging accommodation
• Oncology wellness programs
• Community fundraising nonprofit
• Psychosocial cancer care

Headquarters

HQ city

Rimouski

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: The primary revenue stream. Includes individual donations from door-to-door campaigns (Porte-à-porte), online donations, and general fundraising. The organization reinvests 100% of donations in Eastern Quebec. In 2025, total funds raised reached $2,031,450. The annual Porte-à-porte campaign alone raised $191,725 in 2024.
2. Lottery (Loterie qui fait du bien): Annual lottery with tickets sold online and at physical locations. Tickets sold at $12 each, 5 for $55, or 10 for $100. In 2025, the lottery sold approximately 23,445 tickets and raised $260,854. The lottery transitioned to a fully electronic draw system in 2026. Prizes total nearly $50,000 across 16 prizes. Participating foundations receive a percentage of ticket sales for local cancer services.
3. Sports and cycling events (Défi Vélo Plein Air): Annual cycling event ( Défi Vélo Plein Air ) where cyclists raise pledges and donations. The 2025 edition raised a record $303,293 from 304 cyclists. Since 1999, over 3,387 cyclists have participated, with cumulative donations exceeding $2 million. Presented by Fondation Jack Herbert, organized by Vélo Plein Air.
4. Friperie de l'Est thrift store: Social enterprise thrift store created in 1996. Sells donated reusable goods and donates profits to the association. Annual contribution target of at least $100,000. In 2016, contributed $212,920. Over its first 20 years, contributed over $1.6 million to the association.
5. Match solidarité cancer: Hockey game partnership with Club de hockey L'Océanic de Rimouski. Jersey auction and ticket sales generate funds for the association. Since 2021, over $32,000 has been reinvested through this initiative.
6. Biscuit sourire campaign: Tim Hortons cookie campaign in partnership with Centre de services animaliers de Rimouski. Proceeds support the association's services. Available at Tim Hortons locations in Rimouski and Trois-Pistoles.
7. Corporate campaign: Annual corporate fundraising campaign targeting the business community across Eastern Quebec. The 2025 campaign had a financial objective of $70,000. Includes corporate partnerships and sponsorship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides free accommodation, wellness programs, massage therapy, psychosocial support, peer support, and adapted clothing and breast prostheses to cancer patients and their families in Eastern Quebec. Core services are delivered through the Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau lodging facility in Rimouski, the Centre de mieux-être Cendrine et Philippe wellness center, the Chez Martine specialized boutique, and the verslemieuxetre.tv digital platform, supported by a network of regional health-institution partnerships across Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie, and Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau: Lodging facility for cancer patients receiving treatment in Rimouski, the largest operating hospitality facility for cancer patients in Quebec with 38 rooms and 76-person capacity.
• Centre de mieux-être Cendrine et Philippe
• Friperie de l'Est
• La Loterie qui fait du bien
• Défi Vélo Plein Air
• verslemieuxetre.tv
• Chez Martine

Products and services

• Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau Lodging facility for cancer patients and their families receiving oncology treatments in Rimouski; 38 rooms, capacity for 76 people, connected by interior corridor to the regional hospital's oncology department. Offers affordable accommodation along with common lounges with views of the St. Lawrence River.
• Centre de mieux-être Cendrine et Philippe Wellness center adjacent to Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau, dedicated to the physical and psychological well-being of people affected by cancer. Offers group activities including yoga, gentle physical exercise, art therapy, and information sessions on topics such as nutrition, anxiety, fear of recurrence, and lymphedema.
• verslemieuxetre.tv Online broadcast platform providing live and on-demand video content for remote well-being support of cancer patients. Offers yoga, deep breathing, nutrition, fatigue and sleep management, caregiver support, and physical activity sessions, with free and easy registration.
• Chez Martine - Specialized Boutique Personalized sales service for breast prosthetics and adapted clothing for cancer patients. Staffed by specialists providing tailored fitting and advice, with financial assistance programs available for purchasing adapted clothing and bras.
• Oncology Massage Therapy Free massage therapy offered to cancer patients during treatment sessions, delivered by specialized oncology massotherapists across Eastern Quebec's oncology clinics.
• La Loterie qui fait du bien Annual lottery fundraising campaign with tickets sold at $12 each, 5 for $55, or 10 for $100. Tickets available online and at Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau and four participating foundations. In 2025, sold approximately 23,445 tickets and raised $260,854.
• Défi Vélo Plein Air Annual cycling challenge of 240–315 km between Montmagny and Rimouski. Cyclists raise pledges and donations for the Association. Presented by Fondation Jack Herbert and organized by Vélo Plein Air.
• Porte-à-porte Door-to-Door Campaign Annual door-to-door fundraising campaign where volunteer canvassers collect donations from residents across Eastern Quebec. Volunteers are identified by official association stickers and materials.
• Friperie de l'Est Thrift Store Social economy thrift store selling donated reusable goods, with profits donated to the Association. Contributes to social integration of people with disabilities, promotes volunteering, and recycles reusable goods.
• Match solidarité cancer Annual hockey game partnership with Club de hockey L'Océanic de Rimouski. Players wear custom jerseys during a dedicated game; jersey draw tickets ($5 each or $20 for a booklet of 5) are sold to benefit the association.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,071 nights of accommodation provided at Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting, regional and flagship.

• Club de hockey L'Océanic de RimouskicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Match solidarité cancer partnership. Players wear custom jerseys during a dedicated hockey game. Jersey auction and ticket sales benefit the association. Since 2021, over $32,000 has been raised. The partnership combines sports engagement with cancer awareness.
• TELUScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partnership for the verslemieuxetre.tv digital broadcast platform. TELUS pooled resources with the association and PQM.net to create the online platform launched in September 2017 for remote well-being support for cancer patients.
• PQM.netcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the verslemieuxetre.tv platform. Contributed technical expertise for the development of the online broadcast platform delivering live and on-demand well-being content to cancer patients in Eastern Quebec.
• Ville de RimouskimajorOthersMajor municipal partner of the association. Provides ongoing support for the organization's mission to help people affected by cancer in Eastern Quebec.
• Tim Hortons (Rimouski and Trois-Pistoles)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipating restaurants in the annual Biscuit sourire campaign. Cookies are sold during a designated week with proceeds supporting the association. Co-beneficiary arrangement with Centre de services animaliers de Rimouski.
• Centre de services animaliers de RimouskisupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-beneficiary in the annual Biscuit sourire campaign. Both organizations benefit from Tim Hortons cookie sales during the campaign week in November.
• Fondation Action Santé de La MatapédiaregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional foundation participating in the Loterie qui fait du bien. Receives a percentage of lottery ticket sales for local cancer patient services. Located in La Matapédia region of Eastern Quebec.
• Fondation de la santé et des services sociaux de ManicouaganregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional foundation participating in the Loterie qui fait du bien. Receives a percentage of lottery ticket sales for local cancer patient services. Located in Manicouagan region of Côte-Nord.
• Fondation du CSSS du Rocher PercéregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional foundation participating in the Loterie qui fait du bien. Receives a percentage of lottery ticket sales for local cancer patient services. Located in Rocher-Percé region of Gaspésie.
• Fondation Santé Côte-de-GaspéregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional foundation participating in the Loterie qui fait du bien. Receives a percentage of lottery ticket sales for local cancer patient services. Located in Côte-de-Gaspé region of Gaspésie.
• Fondation québécoise du cancerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2017 between two independent organizations serving cancer patients. Combines complementary services to optimize support for patients and families. Includes shared visibility, cross-referrals, and collaborative service development. The association was supported by the foundation during the planning of Hôtellerie Omer-Brazeau construction and collaborated on a 2015 needs survey.
• Vélo Plein Air (Carl Bérubé, promoter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent promoter and organizer of the Défi Vélo Plein Air cycling event. Carl Bérubé has organized the annual cycling challenge for 27 editions, combining physical event logistics with fundraising for the association.
• Friperie de l'EstcoreOthersSocial enterprise thrift store created by the association in 1996. Sells donated reusable goods and donates profits to the association. Annual contribution target of at least $100,000. Contributed over $1.6 million over 20 years. Contributes to social integration of people with disabilities, promotes volunteering, and recycles reusable goods.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Société canadienne du cancer du sein: National organization supporting breast cancer patients, comparable to ACEQ's specialized Chez Martine breast prosthesis and adapted clothing service. Shares the focus on patient-centered support services for women with cancer.
• Wellspring Cancer Support: Network of community-based cancer support centers offering similar wellness programs (yoga, art therapy, peer support, educational sessions). Comparable non-clinical support service model targeting cancer patients and families.
• Leucan: Quebec association dedicated to children with cancer and their families. Provides similar regional support services (financial assistance, psychosocial support, massage therapy) but specialized for pediatric oncology rather than adult cancer across Eastern Quebec.
• Fondation cancer du sein du Québec: Quebec breast cancer foundation that funds research and provides direct support services to patients. Directly comparable mission overlap with ACEQ's women's cancer services including the Chez Martine boutique.
• Hope & Cope: Community-based cancer support organization in Montreal offering psychosocial support, wellness programs, and peer matching for cancer patients. Comparable service model to ACEQ's Centre de mieux-être Cendrine et Philippe.
• Fondation québécoise du cancer: The provincial cancer support foundation in Quebec, which formally partnered with ACEQ in 2017. Operates similar lodging facilities, psychosocial support, and wellness services for cancer patients across Quebec, with overlapping geographic coverage in Eastern Quebec.

Others

• Société de recherche sur le cancer: Quebec cancer research funding organization. Adjacent to ACEQ's mission — ACEQ historically advocated for radiotherapy services in Eastern Quebec and co-founded a marine biotechnology cancer research center in 2000.
• Regroupement des organismes communautaires en oncologie (ROCO): Umbrella organization of community oncology groups in Quebec. ACEQ is a member-type organization; ROCO coordinates advocacy and resource sharing across similar regional cancer support organizations.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Cancer Society: National cancer charity that funds research and provides support services across Canada. Competes with ACEQ for donor dollars and runs similar peer support, transportation, and information services, but on a much larger scale.

Regional players

• Fondation de la santé de Rivière-du-Loup: Regional health foundation in Eastern Quebec that participates in ACEQ's Loterie qui fait du bien as a beneficiary partner. Similar community health fundraising model focused on a narrower sub-region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ACEQ1981/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-du-cancer-de-l'est-du-qu%C3%A9bec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec