Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario (OACAO)

What Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario (OACAO) does

OACAO is a non-profit membership association founded in 1973 that serves as the provincial umbrella body for Ontario's Older Adult Centres, Seniors Active Living Centres (SALCs), and senior community groups. The organization represents a membership base of over 275 centres that collectively serve more than 200,000 older adults across Ontario, with a core staff of approximately 8 employees operating from Caledon East. Its business model rests on three revenue pillars: annual membership dues from centres and organizations, grants from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada, and event and business-partner revenue. The annual Aging Well Conference (a three-day provincial gathering hosting 175+ attendees) functions as a flagship engagement, recruitment, and trade show vehicle, with tiered registration and sponsorship tiers.

OACAO's programmatic portfolio is anchored by a growing suite of social prescribing initiatives — ASPIRE (Social Prescribing Evaluation), Links2Wellbeing, and Nature Prescribing Pathways — which collectively position the association as both an advocate and an active program developer in the seniors' health and wellbeing space. Adjacent programs include Singing Together (group music for social connection), Phone-Friendly Program-in-a-Box (remote-access programming for seniors without internet), the OACAO Awards Program (sector recognition), and the OASSIS Employee Benefits Program offered to member organizations. The association also distributes capacity-building resources (webinars, regional workshops), health-focused materials (Flu Awareness, a COVID-19 Resource Handbook), and operational resources (governance, fundraising, volunteer management) to member centres. The technology stack is intentionally minimal: the association runs on standard off-the-shelf association management software (Wild Apricot) and does not develop proprietary technology products.

Commercially, OACAO operates a curated Business Partner Directory that connects over 20 vetted vendor partners — spanning home healthcare (Qualicare, HearCANADA, Canadian Hearing Services, GLA Rehab), retirement living (Chartwell, Parkland), food service (Gordon Food Service, Heart to Home Meals), insurance (Belairdirect, Insuranceland), pharmacy (Sanofi Pasteur), and senior-services technology (MySeniorCenter, SOS MEDIC) — with the 200,000+ older-adult audience served by member centres. Distribution is regional (Ontario-only), and the go-to-market motion is community-led: advocacy, peer networking, education, and the annual conference serve as the primary recruitment and engagement channels rather than paid sales. The organization is governed by a volunteer board, holds no parent-company relationship, and does not raise institutional capital.

Name

Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario (OACAO)

Legal name

Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario

Website

https://oacao.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OACAO is a non-profit membership association founded in 1973 that provides advocacy, resources, and program support to over 275 Older Adult Centres and Seniors Active Living Centres across Ontario, collectively serving 200,000+ older adults.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Services Membership Association

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Senior Social Clubs & Community-Based Day Programs (Non-Clinical) (HSABANAK), Civic Engagement, Volunteering & Leadership Education for Seniors (EDAAAMAK)

Keywords

• Senior services advocacy
• Social prescribing programs
• Membership association services
• Older adult active living
• Capacity building workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

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: OACAO generates revenue through membership fees from over 275 Older Adult Centres, SALCs, and senior organizations across Ontario. Membership provides access to resources, networking, advocacy, and professional development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OACAO is a provincial non-profit membership association that represents and supports over 275 community-based Older Adult Centres, Seniors Active Living Centres (SALCs), and senior groups across Ontario. It provides advocacy, education, networking, professional development, and program resources to front-line staff and volunteers, collectively serving more than 200,000 older adults. Its offering centers on social prescribing programs, an annual Aging Well Conference, capacity building webinars, recognition programs, and curated health and operational resources.

Product overview

OACAO operates as a non-profit association founded in 1973 serving as a trusted partner and recognized leader in developing quality resources, services, and support for community-based older adult centres in Ontario. The organization offers a portfolio of social prescribing programs (ASPIRE, Links2Wellbeing, Nature Prescribing Pathways), member-focused programs (Singing Together, Phone-Friendly Program-in-a-Box, OACAO Awards Program, OASSIS Employee Benefits Program), annual events (Aging Well Conference, Seniors Active Living Fairs), capacity building educational resources (webinars and workshops), and health-focused resources (COVID-19 handbook, Flu Awareness materials). With a membership of over 275 centres serving over 200,000 older adults across Ontario, the organization functions as a centralized hub providing advocacy, education, networking, and innovative direction to the sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASPIRE: Social Prescribing Evaluation A social prescribing evaluation program that assesses and advances social prescribing implementation and research initiatives for older adult centres.
• Links2Wellbeing: Social Prescribing A social prescribing program connecting older adults to community resources and activities for improved wellbeing.
• Nature Prescribing Pathways A nature-based program that prescribes outdoor activities and natural environments to support older adult health and wellbeing.
• Singing Together A group singing program designed to promote social connection and wellbeing among older adults in member centres.
• Phone-Friendly Program-in-a-Box A telephonic program delivery package enabling remote participation for older adults who may not have internet access.
• OACAO Awards Program A recognition program honoring outstanding contributions to the older adult services sector in Ontario.
• OASSIS Employee Benefits Program An employee benefits program offered to member organizations and their staff through the OASSIS plan.
• Aging Well Annual Conference An annual provincial conference bringing together older adult centre staff, volunteers, and sector leaders for education, networking, and professional development.
• Seniors Active Living Fairs Community events that connect seniors with local services, programs, and resources for active aging.
• Capacity Building Webinars and Workshops Training and professional development sessions for older adult centre staff and volunteers.
• OACAO COVID-19 Resource Handbook A comprehensive handbook with resources and guidance for older adult centres during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Flu Awareness Resources Educational materials, webinars, infographics, and fact sheets about influenza prevention for older adults, including vaccination guidance.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Alzheimer's Society of OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Minds in Motion program and related initiatives supporting cognitive health for older adults.
• QualicareminorOthersBusiness partner providing healthcare and home care services information to OACAO member centres.
• Medic AlertminorOthersBusiness partner offering medical identification services for seniors, promoted to member centres.
• Gordon Food ServiceminorOthersBusiness partner providing food service solutions for older adult centres.
• HearCANADAminorOthersBusiness partner providing hearing services and products to senior communities.
• Canadian Hearing ServicesminorOthersBusiness partner offering hearing services and support for older adults.
• OASSIS Employee Benefits PlansminorOthersEmployee benefits program offered to member centres and their staff.
• Chartwell Retirement ResidencesminorOthersBusiness partner offering retirement living options for seniors.
• Heart to Home MealsminorOthersBusiness partner providing meal delivery services for seniors.
• Sanofi PasteurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmaceutical partner supporting flu awareness webinars and educational content for older adults through education grants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Healthy Aging Alberta: Alberta-focused coalition advancing healthy aging through cross-sector collaboration. Comparable mission and community-based senior engagement model, but operates in a different province from OACAO.
• The Council on Aging of Ottawa: Regional non-profit serving older adults in Ottawa with information, programs, and advocacy. Comparable community-based service and advocacy role for seniors, though geographically narrower than OACAO's province-wide remit.

Broad incumbents

• International Federation on Ageing: Global non-profit advancing healthy aging, policy, and rights of older adults. Comparable mission and advocacy focus, but with international scope rather than provincial-level member services.
• YMCA Canada: Major national non-profit operating community health, fitness, and older-adult programs across Canada. Comparable to OACAO in delivering community-based active-living programming for seniors, but with much broader scope across age groups.
• CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons): Large national advocacy organization for older Canadians focused on policy, healthcare, and member benefits. Comparable in serving older adults and advocating on their behalf, but operates pan-Canada with a broader consumer-membership model.
• AARP: Largest U.S. membership organization for older adults, providing advocacy, education, and member benefits. Comparable in member-association model serving older adults, but at vastly greater scale and in a different geography.

Others

• Baycrest: Leading Toronto-based academic health sciences center for aging and brain health, including senior community programming. Adjacent to OACAO in advancing older-adult wellness but focused on clinical care and research rather than community-centre advocacy.

Emerging players

• Alzheimer Society of Canada: National non-profit supporting Canadians affected by dementia, with established partnership with OACAO. Comparable as a non-profit serving older adults and operating programs through a provincial federation model, but with a narrower cognitive-health focus.

Direct peers

• Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA): Ontario-based membership association representing community-based health and social service non-profits, including those serving seniors. Closely comparable membership association model, governance, and stakeholder base to OACAO.
• Active Aging Canada: National Canadian non-profit promoting active aging for older adults through programs, resources, and advocacy. Highly comparable to OACAO in mission and constituency, though operating at a national rather than provincial level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theoacao
• Facebookfacebook.com/oacao
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/older-adults-centres'-association-of-ontario

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario (OACAO)