Ski à l’école

What Ski à l’école does

Ski à l'école is a Quebec-based non-profit organization that delivers free cross-country skiing initiation, equipment loans, and community outdoor programming primarily to schoolchildren aged 6–16 in the Outaouais region. Founded in 2016 on the initiative of the Canadian Ski Marathon, the organization maintains a fleet of more than 2,000 pairs of Salomon cross-country skis and snowshoes, which it transports directly to schoolyards via teams of ambassadors working with physical education teachers. Its core programming comprises three operational components: the Outaouais Component (in-school ski initiation), the Ski-Mobile Component (mobile delivery to remote schools in partnership with Ski de fond Québec), and the 3-3-3 Equipment Sharing Program (an alternating-fleet model that reduces per-school inventory and storage costs). Complementary offerings include La Grande Traversée du Parc de la Gatineau (a ~35KM one-day ski trek for secondary school students), community activities for ages 4–104, and Club Sel & Poivre (twice-weekly group outings for adults 55+ delivered through four MRC partnerships).

The underlying technology and operational backbone is a managed, mobile equipment fleet combined with regionalized delivery partnerships. The 3-3-3 system functions as a shared-asset logistics layer that rotates ski fleets across multiple schools throughout the winter, enabling size coverage without each school owning its own inventory. The Ski-Mobile extends that logistics model across remote geographies through an in-province partnership with Ski de fond Québec. Auxiliaries include the "Capitale Plein Air" podcast distributed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, and a French-language website used as the activity calendar, Club Sel & Poivre registration portal, and donation entry point.

The business model is a freemium, donation- and sponsorship-financed non-profit operating through a dedicated Foundation (Fondation de Ski à l'école). All programs and equipment access are provided at no cost to end users; revenue is generated from charitable contributions, in-kind equipment sponsorship from Salomon, founding-sector support from the Canadian Ski Marathon, MRC-level delivery partnerships, and paid "charitable expeditions" channeled to the Foundation. Go-to-market is community-led, distributed across schools, MRCs, local outdoor cooperatives, and community centers, with secondary content-marketing and email/fundraising channels. The organization lists approximately 15 core staff supported by 200+ volunteers.

Name

Ski à l’école

Legal name

Ski à l'école

Website

https://skialecole.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ski à l'école is a Quebec-based non-profit that delivers free cross-country skiing initiation, equipment loans, and community winter programming to schoolchildren (ages 6–16), adults 55+, and families across the Outaouais region using a 2,000+ pair Salomon equipment fleet and MRC-level delivery partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Outdoor Recreation (Cross-Country Ski Programs)

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Sports & Snow Training Schools (Ski, Snowboard, Ice Sports) (MPAKAJAI)

Keywords

• Cross-country ski programs
• Outdoor recreation services
• Youth ski education
• Community ski equipment lending
• Nonprofit outdoor programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gatineau

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Ski à l'école is a not-for-profit organization that relies on donations to its foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring organizational independence, flexibility, and high-quality service delivery. Donors contribute to empower the community one young person at a time through outdoor experiential activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ski à l'école is a non-profit organization that delivers free cross-country skiing initiation programs and lends ski equipment (a fleet of over 2,000 pairs of Salomon skis) directly to schools, community centers, and public outdoor spaces in the Outaouais region of Quebec. It serves schoolchildren aged 6–16, seniors 55+ (Club Sel & Poivre), and families (ages 4–104) through multiple named programs including the Outaouais component, Ski-Mobile, 3-3-3 equipment sharing, the Grande Traversée du Parc de la Gatineau, and free community activities.

Product overview

Ski à l'école is a non-profit organization offering free cross-country skiing programs primarily for schoolchildren aged 6-16 in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The core offering consists of the Outaouais Component (school-based ski initiation), the Ski-Mobile Component (mobile services for remote areas), and the 3-3-3 Program (equipment sharing between schools). These programs are complemented by La Grande Traversée du Parc de la Gatineau (a major ski event for high schoolers), community activities for ages 4-104 (including JackRabbit, family ski days, and winter carnivals), the Club Sel & Poivre (ski club for adults 55+), and the Capitale Plein Air podcast. The organization operates with a fleet of over 2,000 pairs of Salomon cross-country skis and provides all equipment free of charge to participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Club Sel & Poivre: Cross-country skiing program for adults 55 years and older, offering group outings twice weekly between January and March in various sites in Outaouais.
• JackRabbit Program
• 3-3-3 Program
• Capitale Plein Air

Products and services

• Volet Outaouais (Outaouais Component) Free cross-country skiing initiation delivered directly in the schoolyards of primary and secondary schools for children aged 6 to 16, with ambassadors and a full Salomon equipment fleet transported to each site.
• Volet Ski-Mobile (Ski-Mobile Component) Mobile equipment fleet and ambassador presence that brings free cross-country skiing initiation services to remote regions and schools with limited access, in collaboration with Ski de fond Québec.
• Programme 3-3-3 (3-3-3 Program) Equipment sharing system that alternates ski fleets between multiple schools throughout the winter, providing access to varying sizes of cross-country skis and reducing per-school costs and storage needs.
• La Grande Traversée du Parc de la Gatineau A culminating cross-country skiing challenge for secondary school students, skied as a one-day trek across approximately 35 km of the north-south axis of Gatineau Park, with a festive reception at the P2 finish point.
• Volet Activités Communautaires (Community Activities Component) Free community cross-country skiing activities for participants aged 4 to 104 across the four corners of Outaouais, including the JackRabbit program, family ski days, and winter carnivals, with equipment lending and on-site advice.
• Club Sel & Poivre Cross-country skiing club for adults aged 55 and over, offering twice-weekly group outings from January to March at multiple sites across Outaouais and Montreal, with equipment lending and guided instruction.
• Capitale Plein Air Podcast Monthly podcast series featuring stories and testimonials about outdoor recreation, nature, adventures, and durable recreational pleasures, distributed via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of students introduced to cross-country skiing each winter season at no cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canadian Ski MarathoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Canadian Ski Marathon initiated the Ski à l'école program, recognizing that the average age of marathon participants was increasing and that many young people lacked access to cross-country skiing due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers. The Canadian Ski Marathon provided the foundational impetus and ongoing support for the program's creation and expansion.
• Ski de fond QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Ski de fond Québec on the Ski-Mobile project enables the movement of equipment fleets and ambassadors to remote regions and schools across Quebec where ski initiation services are limited. Several thousand initiations have been carried out in the province through this partnership.
• SalomoncoreOthersSki à l'école operates with a full fleet of Salomon cross-country skiing and snowshoeing equipment. Salomon provides the equipment that forms the backbone of all programs, from school initiations to community activities.
• Relais Plein AirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Relais Plein Air creates a festive atmosphere at the finish point (P2) of the Grande Traversée du Parc de la Gatineau event, providing a celebratory reception for participating secondary school students who complete the 35km ski trek.
• Local Outdoor CooperativescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal outdoor cooperatives and other community organizations ensure the regionalized and decentralized development of the Ski à l'école program across multiple MRCs in the Outaouais region.
• MRC Des Collines-de-l'OutaouaisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal regional county partnership supporting Club Sel & Poivre programming for adults 55+ in the Gatineau / Collines area, with activities twice weekly in winter.
• MRC Vallée-de-la-GatineauminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal regional county partnership supporting Club Sel & Poivre programming for adults 55+ in the Vallée-de-la-Gatineau area.
• MRC de PontiacminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal regional county partnership supporting Club Sel & Poivre programming for adults 55+ in the Pontiac area, where Ski à l'école originally launched.
• MRC PapineauminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal regional county partnership supporting Club Sel & Poivre programming for adults 55+ in the Papineau area.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• ParticipACTION: Canadian non-profit dedicated to inspiring and supporting physical activity among Canadians. Comparable as a national organization with aligned mission around increasing physical activity, particularly among youth and underserved populations.
• Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities: Major Canadian charity providing sport funding to children from low-income families. Comparable mission around removing financial barriers to youth sport, with similar donation-funded model and Canadian national scope.
• Right To Play: International non-profit using sport and play to educate and empower children facing disadvantage. Comparable as a mission-driven organization using sport participation to drive youth development outcomes.
• KidSport Canada: National Canadian non-profit that helps remove financial barriers to youth sport participation through grants. Comparable as a similar non-profit mission of removing socioeconomic barriers to sport access for Canadian children, though broader in sport coverage.

Direct peers

• Loppet Foundation: Minneapolis-based non-profit that provides cross-country skiing instruction and outdoor recreation programs to community members, with similar emphasis on removing barriers to Nordic skiing participation. Most directly comparable peer given the shared focus on community XC ski education and equipment access.
• New England Nordic Ski Association: Regional organization promoting cross-country skiing across New England through youth programs, instruction, and events. Comparable as a regional body focused on XC ski development, youth engagement, and instructional programming.

Broad incumbents

• Ski de fond Québec: Quebec's provincial federation for cross-country skiing, partnering with Ski à l'école on the Ski-Mobile program. Comparable as the governing body for the same sport discipline in the same province, with broader regulatory and competitive scope.
• Canadian Ski Marathon: The founding initiator of Ski à l'école and a broader cross-country skiing organization running the longest ski tour in North America. Comparable as a more established XC skiing organization with national scope, but focused on competitive event participation rather than free instruction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=nhvJd7c3Hag
• Facebookfacebook.com/SAEOutaouais

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Ski à l’école