The Friends of Lake Pemichangan

What The Friends of Lake Pemichangan does

The Friends of Lake Pemichangan (Les Amis du Lac Pemichangan / FLP) is a Quebec-incorporated, all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the unspoiled ecological state of Lake Pemichangan and its watershed in the Gatineau Valley. Its core activities include water quality monitoring through the government-run Réseau de surveillance volontaire des lacs (RSVL) program in Shouldice Bay and Bertrand Bay, invasive species prevention (zebra mussels, spiny water fleas, milfoil), lake trout spawning bed research, management of 16 wilderness campsites on provincial land through the Adopt-a-Site volunteer program, seasonal buoy installation, and publication of a Code of Ethics and Best Practices for lake users. The organization collaborates with RAPPEL, Fondation de la faune du Québec, Université Laval, Université de Montréal, RPEVG, RNCREQ, RSVL, the municipalities of Gracefield and Lac-Sainte-Marie, the Gatineau Fish and Game Club, and the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.

The organization's revenue model is membership-funded: annual dues of $50 CAD per member with automatic renewal, supported by occasional grants (notably a $20,000 CAD 2025 grant from Fondation de la faune du Québec) and community fundraising (approximately $6,000 CAD in 2025 for the lake trout spawning bed study). It does not operate a software product or SaaS platform; its "products" are membership services, stewardship programs, environmental reports, and seasonal newsletters. The customer base is approximately 190 cottage and property owners (a record reached in 2025) out of an estimated 300 possible property owners around the lake, plus recreational day users and campers. Distribution is direct via the bilingual pemichangan.org website (online signup and credit card payment), Facebook community page (1,225+ followers), seasonal newsletters, an annual general meeting at the Gatineau Fish and Game Club, and word-of-mouth referrals through board ambassadors and the bundled membership collection arrangement with the Gatineau Fish and Game Club.

Name

The Friends of Lake Pemichangan

Legal name

Les Amis du Lac Pemichangan

Website

https://pemichangan.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Friends of Lake Pemichangan is an all-volunteer Quebec non-profit that protects Lake Pemichangan and its watershed through water quality monitoring, invasive species prevention, lake trout research, and campsite stewardship for approximately 190 member cottage owners and recreational users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAK

Water Resources & Watershed Protection

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

Keywords

• Lake preservation
• Watershed conservation
• Water quality monitoring
• Invasive species prevention
• Environmental advocacy

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization operates entirely on member donations. Annual membership fees of $50 CAD provide the primary (and likely sole) revenue stream. Members can pay directly or through Gatineau Fish and Game Club membership renewal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Friends of Lake Pemichangan (Les Amis du Lac Pemichangan) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the ecological state of Lake Pemichangan and its watershed through member-funded environmental monitoring, advocacy, education, and stewardship programs. Its core offerings include an annual membership program, water quality monitoring through the RSVL program, management of 16 wilderness campsites through the Adopt-a-Site volunteer program, and a Code of Ethics guiding sustainable practices among lake users.

Product overview

The Friends of Lake Pemichangan (FLP) is a non-profit organization offering a membership-based program focused on preserving Lake Pemichangan and its watershed. The core offering consists of community membership, water quality monitoring through the RSVL program, management of 16 camping and picnic sites with the Adopt-a-Site volunteer program, seasonal newsletters, and the Code of Ethics and Best Practices document. The organization does not operate a software product or SaaS platform; its offerings are membership services, advocacy programs, and environmental stewardship resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Membership
• Camping and Picnic Sites Management
• Water Quality Monitoring

Quantifiable outcome

• Lake trout spawning beds assessed and found to offer generally good conditions; milfoil found in 90% of sites surveyed but no major management actions required short-term
• +2 more outcomes

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, key advisor, key partner, supporting and cultural partner.

• Gatineau Fish and Game ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Long-standing partnership with the historic club (established 1894). GFGC provides venue for FLP Annual General Meeting and collects FLP membership fees alongside its own fees. Club manages the boat launch at Point Comfort (north end of lake) and runs a day camp program.
• RAPPEL (Regroupement des associations pour la protection de l'environnement des lacs et des bassins versants)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Nonprofit cooperative focused on lake and wetland protection in Quebec. RAPPEL biologists conducted lake trout spawning bed study at Lake Pemichangan in 2025 with funding from Fondation de la faune du Québec. FLP participates in RAPPEL-organized conferences and seminars on invasive species.
• Université Laval (Prof. Claude Lavoie)key advisorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Prof. Claude Lavoie, leading Quebec expert on invasive aquatic plants (especially milfoil), provided consultation to FLP board. Co-author of Quebec government guide on myriophyllum prevention and control.
• Municipality of GracefieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal jurisdiction covering north end of Lake Pemichangan. Installed boat washing station (mandatory since June 2023); ongoing discussions on road maintenance, boat launch management, and short-term rental regulations.
• Municipality of Lac-Sainte-MariecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal jurisdiction covering south end of Lake Pemichangan. Operates boat washing station serving south end; enables voting by mail for municipal elections.
• RPEVG (Regroupement pour la protection de l'eau de la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau)key partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional water protection organization comprising lake associations from MRC de la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau. FLP board members attend AGMs and participate in regional forums; collaborated on Ottawa Boat Show outreach booth.
• RSVL (Réseau de surveillance volontaire des lacs)key partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec government-organized network of lake representatives monitoring water quality. FLP collects water samples and takes measurements at fixed intervals in Shouldice Bay and Bertrand Bay.
• RNCREQ (Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l'environnement du Québec)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial environmental organization. FLP board member attended AGM in Sherbrooke. Organizes national forum on invasive aquatic species.
• Université de MontréalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFLP obtained cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) testing kit through Université de Montréal's 'Adopt-a-Lake' program.
• Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nationcultural partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlgonquin Anishinabeg Nation whose ancestral lands include Lake Pemichangan. FLP newsletter acknowledges traditional territory; encourages members to honor community through attendance at annual Pow Wow and visits to cultural centre.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ducks Unlimited Canada: Canada's leading wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation nonprofit. Adjacent to FLP's freshwater conservation work in the Outaouais region, with comparable member/donor funding model but vastly larger scale and conservation portfolio.
• Canadian Wildlife Federation: National conservation nonprofit engaged in freshwater habitat protection, invasive species policy, and member-supported education — closely aligned thematic overlap with FLP's lake preservation and invasive species mandate, but operating nationally.
• Fondation de la faune du Québec: Quebec nonprofit that funds wildlife and habitat conservation projects, including the $20,000 grant to FLP for the lake trout spawning bed study. Operates at provincial scale across many species and habitat types; FLP is a grantee rather than a direct competitor.
• Nature Conservancy of Canada ( NCC ): Canada's largest land conservation nonprofit, focused on private land securement and stewardship. Comparable mission (conservation, member/donor support, scientific partnerships) but operates nationally and through land securement rather than single-lake volunteer stewardship.

Direct peers

• Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations (FOCA): Federation of ~500 cottage lake associations across Ontario offering advocacy, insurance, and stewardship resources. Closely comparable to FLP's role for Lake Pemichangan — member-funded volunteer lake stewardship — but at provincial scale.
• Regroupement pour la protection de l'eau de la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau (RPEVG): Regional water-protection organization of lake associations in the MRC de la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau; FLP actively participates in its AGMs and forums. Effectively a peer/umbrella body covering the same watershed geography.
• RAPPEL (Regroupement des associations pour la protection de l'environnement des lacs et des bassins versants): Quebec nonprofit cooperative of lake and watershed associations; FLP is a member organization. Operates the same lake-protection model (RSVL monitoring, invasive species education, member associations) at a regional scale that FLP delivers for Lake Pemichangan.

Others

• Réseau de surveillance volontaire des lacs (RSVL): Quebec government-run volunteer lake water-quality monitoring network in which FLP participates as a data-collecting partner. Comparable in mission overlap (lake health monitoring) but functions as an enabling program rather than a competing nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lac.pemichangan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 The Friends of Lake Pemichangan