The C.A.R.E. Centre

What The C.A.R.E. Centre does

The C.A.R.E. Centre (Centre d'activités récréatives et éducatives) is a registered Canadian charity and non-profit organization founded in 1986 by parents of adults with physical disabilities and officially incorporated in 1995 in Côte-Saint-Luc, Quebec. It operates the only English-language day program in Montreal maintaining a 2:1 client-to-caregiver ratio for adults aged 21 and older who have aged out of the school system and require assistance with most activities of daily living, including feeding, dressing, toileting, medication administration, and alternate communication support (tablets, picture boards, Bliss symbols).

The Centre delivers a 5-day-a-week day program (September through June) at the Wagar Adult Education Centre, structured as three program blocks per day with three simultaneous activity choices (math, science, arts and crafts, music, baking, yoga, languages, drama, photography, video-making), totaling nine structured programs daily. Adjacent offerings include community inclusion outings, a August summer camp, year-round respite services, health and wellness programming, and the Stories of Care podcast project. Service delivery relies on a staff of 20+ including an Executive Director, Program Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator, Administrative Assistant, ~16 caregivers/facilitators, and 3 personal attendants, supplemented by volunteers such as the McGill Students for C.A.R.E. Club.

The revenue model is a hybrid of Quebec Government (MSSS) and English Montreal School Board funding, foundation and corporate grants, individual donations through CanadaHelps and the 21+ Campaign, the Wagar Alumni Campaign, vehicle donations via Donate a Car Canada, corporate sponsorships of individual program rooms, and a modest annual client registration fee of $300-$350. The Centre maintains a multi-region catchment spanning Greater Montreal, Laval, the Laurentians, and the South Shore, and currently operates with a 2-3 year waiting list indicating demand well in excess of current capacity.

Name

The C.A.R.E. Centre

Legal name

Centre d'activités récréatives et éducatives

Website

https://carecentre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The C.A.R.E. Centre is a registered Quebec non-profit operating the only English-language day program in Montreal for adults with physical disabilities aged 21+, maintaining a 2:1 client-to-caregiver ratio at the Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte-Saint-Luc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability services / Adult day care

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adult Day Rehabilitation & Therapy Programs (PT/OT/SLP) (HLADAIAD), Caregiver Support & Education Programs (Center-Based) (HSABANAN), Social Adult Day Care (Non-Medical Supervision & Activities) (HSABANAA)

Keywords

• Adult day services
• Disability day programs
• Community inclusion outings
• Respite care services
• Recreational education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Côte-saint-luc

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 Fundraising: Individual donors contribute through the CanadaHelps platform, the 21+ Campaign, Wagar Alumni Campaign, and general fundraising events. Vehicle donations are accepted through Donate a Car Canada partnership.
2. Government Funding: Funding from the Quebec Government (Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux du Quebec) and the English Montreal School Board provides operational support.
3. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Support from foundations, corporations, and partnerships. Corporate sponsors can sponsor specific program rooms (cooking room, art room, rec room, wellness room).
4. Client Fees: Annual registration fee of $300-$350 for the day program (September through June). Additional fees for camps and outings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The C.A.R.E. Centre provides a weekday day program (September through June) for adults aged 21+ with physical disabilities, offering nine structured educational and recreational activity choices per day across three program blocks, paired with community inclusion outings, health and wellness programming, medication administration and activities-of-daily-living assistance, and alternate communication support. Services are delivered in English from an accessible facility in Côte-Saint-Luc, Quebec, with a 2:1 client-to-caregiver ratio, and are supplemented by an August summer camp and seasonal respite services for family caregivers.

Product overview

The C.A.R.E. Centre operates as a single unified program rather than a platform architecture. The core offering is a day program for adults (21+) with physical disabilities that combines three integrated service streams: the Educational & Recreational Day Program, the Community Inclusion Outings Program, and Health & Wellness Programs. These programs run concurrently and are designed to address the holistic needs of clients—physical, mental, nutritional, and social. Additional seasonal offerings include Summer Camp Experience (August) and Respite Services (winter and summer). The Stories of Care Podcasts represents an artistic/educational initiative under the broader program umbrella. The organization maintains a 2:1 client-to-caregiver ratio and provides specialized accessibility accommodations including wheelchair access, assistance with daily living activities, and alternate communication support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Day Program (Educational & Recreational) A 5-day-a-week day program (September through June) for adults aged 21+ with physical disabilities. Each day comprises three program blocks with three simultaneous activity choices, totaling nine structured programs (math, science, arts & crafts, music, baking, yoga, languages, poetry, drama, photography, video making). Clients choose activities daily. Includes assistance with activities of daily living, medication administration, and alternate communication support.
• Community Inclusion Outings Program Program enabling clients to attend social events, cultural events, museums, libraries, sporting events, festivals, and other community activities throughout Montreal. Outings are chosen based on wheelchair accessibility and group accessibility. Available year-round as part of the day program and intensified during July and August summer months. Also includes virtual outings during pandemic periods.
• Health and Wellness Programs Holistic health and wellness programming addressing physical, mental, nutritional, and social needs. Includes therapeutic exercises, ergonomic support, stretching, yoga, adapted physical fitness, adapted sports, mindfulness, meditations, a nutrition-cooking program, art therapies, mental health support, and grief counseling.
• Summer Camp Experience An August summer camp program offering a daily community outings experience, replacing the regular school-year day program during summer months.
• Respite Services Respite services provided during winter and summer seasons to support family caregivers and provide relief from caregiving responsibilities.
• Stories of Care Podcasts A podcast production project empowering clients to learn and participate according to their abilities, foster artistic expression, and promote visibility and understanding of living with disability. Clients develop skills to record and produce their own podcasts. Produced in collaboration with Innovations in Concert and Bradyworks/Instruments of Happiness, funded by the Quebec government's 'Culture in Schools' program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2:1 client-to-caregiver ratio maintained
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Donate a Car CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to accept vehicle donations. Donate a Car Canada handles all logistics including free towing and vehicle processing. Donors receive tax receipts. This partnership provides an additional fundraising channel for the organization.
• English Montreal School Board (EMSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.A.R.E. has an official partnership with EMSB. Many clients are registered as adult education students in the Social Integration Services (SIS) program at Wagar Adult Education Centre where C.A.R.E. is located.
• Innovations in Concert and Bradyworks / Instruments of HappinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts groups collaborating on the Stories of Care podcast project. Funded by Quebec government's Culture in Schools program. Guided by clarinetist and Artist in Residence Louise Campbell.
• Students for C.A.R.E. Club (McGill University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcGill University student club that provides weekly volunteers to accompany clients on outings and fundraises for special outings. Aims to empower individuals with disabilities and promote social inclusion.
• Wagar Adult Education CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.A.R.E. is located within the Wagar Adult Education Centre facilities, sharing space and maintaining a partnership for serving SIS program students.
• Various Montreal Community PartnersminorOthersPartners include: EMSB, CROM (West Montreal Readaptation Center), MAB (Mackay Assessment Centre), Vanier College, McGill University, Champlain College, Constance Lethbridge, CPAT, Miriam Home and Services, CSL (Côte-Saint-Luc), FCJA, Camp Massawippi, Marianopolis College, STM Transport Adapté, and YCW.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Broad incumbents

• Community Living Ontario: Community Living Ontario is a provincial federation supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through member agencies that deliver day programs, supported living, and respite. Its member-agency service model parallels C.A.R.E.'s niche specialization at a broader provincial scale.
• Easter Seals Canada: Easter Seals Canada is a national federation delivering programs and services for children and adults with physical disabilities, including camp, respite, and accessible recreation. It operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth than C.A.R.E. but addresses overlapping needs.
• Abilities Canada: Abilities Canada is a national non-profit supporting Canadians with disabilities through programs, advocacy, and community engagement. It is a broader incumbent in the disability services space rather than a direct local competitor.

Direct peers

• Miriam Home and Services: Miriam Home and Services provides residential and community-based programs for adults with physical disabilities and complex needs in the Montreal region. It is listed as a C.A.R.E. Centre community partner and shares the same niche clientele.
• MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre: MAB-Mackay provides rehabilitation, day programs, and adapted services for children and adults with physical disabilities in the Greater Montreal area. It is explicitly listed as a C.A.R.E. Centre partner and shares the same Anglophone Montreal disability-services ecosystem.
• L'Arche Canada: L'Arche operates community-based day programs, workshops, and residential homes for adults with intellectual disabilities across Canada. Its mission-aligned, small-ratio service model for an underserved adult population is directly comparable to C.A.R.E.'s specialized day program.
• CRDP Constance-Lethbridge: Constance-Lethbridge is a Quebec rehabilitation centre serving clients with physical disabilities, including adapted programming and day services. It is listed as a C.A.R.E. Centre community partner and operates in the same Montreal disability-services network.
• Camphill Communities Ontario: Camphill provides intentional community living and day programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Canada. Its holistic, arts- and activity-based programming parallels C.A.R.E.'s recreational/educational/wellness blend.
• Centre de réadaptation en déficience physique — site Gingras (formerly CROM): CROM is the West Montreal Readaptation Center referenced as a C.A.R.E. partner, providing rehabilitation and adapted services for adults with physical disabilities in the Greater Montreal area. Both organizations serve overlapping Anglophone populations.

Regional players

• AdaptAbilities: AdaptAbilities is an Alberta-based non-profit providing adult day programs, respite, and community inclusion for individuals with disabilities. It mirrors C.A.R.E.'s program structure and high-care-ratio model, though it operates in Western Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/p/CRobA1FjExK

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 The C.A.R.E. Centre