Christian Higher Education Canada, Inc.

What Christian Higher Education Canada, Inc. does

Christian Higher Education Canada, Inc. (CHEC) is a Canadian non-profit association founded in 2005 and headquartered in Brantford, Ontario. It is the only national association uniting the country's accredited, degree-granting, Christ-centred post-secondary institutions, with 29 member colleges, universities, seminaries, and graduate schools spanning seven provinces from the Maritimes to British Columbia. CHEC's mission is to advance the efficiency and effectiveness of Christian higher education at member schools by reducing institutional isolation, fostering peer collaboration, and collectively promoting the value of Christ-centred higher education in Canada. CHEC is registered as a charity under paragraph 149(1)(f) of the Canadian Income Tax Act (charitable business number 81429 4815 RR0001) and is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member-institution presidents and faith-community leaders.

CHEC's product portfolio is built on partnerships rather than proprietary technology. Core offerings include: (1) CHECOnline, a Course Sharing Consortium hosted on the Acadeum platform that enables member institutions to cross-enroll students in online courses with revenue sharing; (2) a Campus Search tool allowing prospective students to filter member institutions by province, program, and credential level; (3) a Placements gateway connecting students to internships and work placements via the Canadian Christian Business Federation's network of over 6,500 businesses; (4) a Research Network connecting faculty to community-based research resources through partnerships with the Centre for Community Based Research and Community Based Research Canada; (5) the CHEC Group Insurance Plan, brokered by D.L. Deeks Insurance Services for staff, faculty, students, and alumni; (6) an annual CHEC Symposium and CHEC Conference for presidents, academic leaders, enrolment managers, fundraisers, and financial administrators; and (7) cross-cutting programs on Integrating Indigenous Studies into member curricula and Building Collaborative Capacity. CHEC's digital infrastructure consists of its public website (checanada.ca) and the Acadeum-hosted CHECOnline platform; the association does not develop or operate proprietary technology products in-house.

CHEC's revenue model is that of a member-supported non-profit. It is funded through recurring membership dues paid by its 29 member institutions and through individual and foundation donations (tax-receiptable for donations of $10 or more), with revenue figures not publicly disclosed. The 2025 Symposium was delivered at no fee and the 2026 Conference registration is waived for all faculty and staff at member institutions via a donor subsidy, reinforcing that CHEC does not commercialize programming as a profit center. The association serves an aggregated student body of approximately 18,900 (11,370 undergraduate, 7,545 graduate) across its member institutions, an alumni network of roughly 200,000 across 85 countries, and a faculty base of approximately 1,400, with a 13:1 average student-to-faculty ratio. Combined operating budgets across member institutions total $400 million, supported by $100 million in aggregate endowment funds (2015-16 reference period).

Name

Christian Higher Education Canada, Inc.

Legal name

Christian Higher Education Canada, Inc.

Website

https://checanada.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Christian Higher Education Canada is a non-profit association founded in 2005, uniting 29 accredited Christ-centred colleges, universities, and seminaries across seven Canadian provinces to enable collaboration, course sharing, research, group insurance, and professional development for member institutions and their students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

Keywords

• Christian higher education
• Course sharing consortium
• Member institution services
• Academic collaboration network
• Post-secondary association

Headquarters

HQ city

Brantford

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: CHEC is funded in part through membership dues paid by its 29 member institutions (colleges, universities, and seminaries).
2. Individual Donations: CHEC accepts financial donations from individuals and foundations. Donations can be sent via e-Transfer or cheque. Tax-exempt receipts are issued for donations of $10 or above. CHEC qualifies for tax-exempt status as a registered charity under paragraph 149(1)(f) of the Income Tax Act (charitable business number: 81429 4815 RR0001).

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CHEC is a non-profit association that supports its 29 member Christian colleges, universities, seminaries, and graduate schools through collaborative programs including cross-institutional course sharing (CHECOnline/Acadeum), a campus search directory, a research network, a national group insurance plan, student placements/internships via the CCBF, and annual Symposium and Conference events for institutional leaders. The association is funded through membership dues and individual/foundation donations, and does not sell commercial products or services.

Product overview

Christian Higher Education Canada (CHEC) is a non-profit association of 29 member institutions offering a coordinated portfolio of products and services for its member Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries across Canada. The core offerings include CHECOnline (a course sharing consortium hosted on the Acadeum platform enabling cross-institutional enrollment), Campus Search (a searchable database of programs and institutions), Placements (experiential education and internship facilitation through the Canadian Christian Business Federation), a Research Network (connecting faculty to research resources and collaborators), the CHEC Group Insurance Plan (group insurance for member communities), and annual Symposium and Conference events for professional development and collaboration. These products work together to advance the efficiency, effectiveness, and public awareness of Christian higher education in Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHECOnline: CHEC Online Course Sharing Consortium operated in partnership with Acadeum to facilitate course sharing among member institutions.

Products and services

• CHECOnline Course Sharing Consortium An online course sharing consortium that allows CHEC member institutions to share courses with each other. Home Institutions can download available online courses from other institutions; Teaching Institutions post available seats in courses they are offering. Students are pre-screened by their home institution and registered for courses at the teaching institution's discounted rate, with Acadeum facilitating the revenue share between institutions. It is for CHEC member colleges, universities, and seminaries seeking to expand academic offerings without additional capital investment.
• Campus Search A searchable directory allowing prospective students to search for Christian higher education institutions by name, province, program/major, and level of study (Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Master, Doctorate). It is for prospective students and parents comparing Christian higher education options in Canada.
• Placements A gateway connecting students with work and service placements, internships, and experiential education opportunities, facilitated through the Canadian Christian Business Federation network of over 6,500 businesses. It is for CHEC member institution students seeking experiential education and employment connections.
• Research Network A clearinghouse connecting CHEC faculty researchers with colleagues' research areas, current projects, and resources from the Centre for Community Based Research and Community Based Research Canada. It is for faculty at CHEC member institutions seeking community-based research collaborators and resources.
• CHEC Group Insurance Plan A national insurance program providing group insurance rates for personal Auto and Property Insurance for staff, faculty, students, and alumni of CHEC-member institutions, facilitated by D.L. Deeks Insurance Services as the exclusive broker. It is for communities of CHEC member institutions seeking group-rate personal insurance.
• CHEC Symposium Annual symposium bringing together leaders from CHEC-member schools for networking conversations among presidents, senior academic leaders, enrolment managers, fundraisers, and financial administrators, focusing on collaboration and innovation. It is for senior leaders across CHEC member institutions.
• CHEC Conference Annual conference addressing critical questions facing Christian higher education in Canada. The 2026 conference focuses on Calling and Vocational Ministry: The Landscape is Changing. It is for faculty and staff at CHEC member institutions, with registration waived for them.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% student retention rate across CHEC member institutions
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AcadeumcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcadeum hosts the CHEC Online Course Sharing Consortium platform. As a Home Institution, member campuses can download available online courses from other faith-aligned institutions. As a Teaching Institution, they post unfilled course seats. Acadeum facilitates the revenue share between institutions and provides the technical infrastructure for cross-enrollment.
• D.L. Deeks Insurance Services Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD.L. Deeks Insurance Services has been appointed as the exclusive broker of record for the CHEC Group Insurance Plan, serving CHEC's 33-34 member institutions. The plan provides a group insurance rate for the personal Auto & Property Insurance of staff, faculty, students, and alumni of CHEC member schools across Canada.
• Canadian Christian Business Federation (CCBF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHEC links with CCBF (a national network of over 6,500 businesses and professional leaders) to facilitate work and service placements and internships for CHEC students. CCBF provides a company directory, free Help Wanted and Employment Wanted services, and can add an Internship Wanted category for CHEC students.
• Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHEC has formed a cooperative agreement with CCBR, the leading resource and training organization for community-based research in Canada. CCBR provides resources and training to promote community-based research opportunities in CHEC's faith-based member institutions.
• Community Based Research Canada (CBRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBRC is the umbrella group for Canadian educational institutions and organizations interested in community-based research. CHEC is in dialogue about membership in CBRC, which would provide CHEC member schools access to CBRC's website and resources.
• North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACCAP creates and sponsors Christian University and College Fairs, hosting over 125 events across Canada and the US each year. NACCAP provides a regional fair coordinator for Canada and supports CHEC's outreach to prospective students considering Christian higher education.
• Association of Business Administrators of Christian Colleges (ABACC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABACC's mission is to improve the standard of business management in Christian higher education institutions by providing professional development, networking, and mutual support to business leadership. CHEC lists ABACC as a cooperative relationship.
• Canadian Association for Christians in Student Development (CACSD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCACSD's purpose is to glorify God by providing resources for fellowship, professional development, and information resulting in greater effectiveness in ministering to students in Canada. Listed as a cooperative relationship by CHEC.
• The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EFC is a national movement that engages evangelicals for Kingdom influence, impact, and identity. David Guretzki, EFC's Vice President of Ministry Services, serves as a public member on the CHEC Board of Directors.
• Global Scholars CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Scholars Canada recruits and supports Christian professors to teach in public universities overseas, providing students with education rooted in a biblical worldview. Listed as a cooperative relationship by CHEC.
• The Word GuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Word Guild is a Canadian Christian writers' guild with a vision to bring God's hope, grace, and reconciliation through the written words of its members. Listed as a cooperative relationship by CHEC.
• NAIITS (Indigenous Learning Community)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAIITS is listed as a resource under CHEC's 'Integrating Indigenous Studies into CHEC Schools' Curricula' project, providing Indigenous learning perspectives and resources for member institutions.
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTR is listed as a resource to support CHEC member institutions in integrating Indigenous voices and perspectives into academic curricula, structures, and systems.
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a resource for CHEC member institutions undertaking the integration of Indigenous studies into curricula.
• Circles for ReconciliationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a resource for CHEC member institutions, providing a partnership model between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples organized through ten-week discussion circles across Canada.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC): Canadian evangelical umbrella organization with a public member on CHEC's board. Adjacent faith-based umbrella relevant for member-institution advocacy and identity alignment rather than direct competition.

Emerging players

• Association of Business Administrators of Christian Colleges (ABACC): Already a cooperative partner of CHEC; an association of business officers at Christian colleges offering professional development and networking — narrower scope than CHEC but functionally similar member service.
• Christian Leadership Alliance: Faith-based organization providing leadership development and resources for Christian nonprofits and educational institutions. Partial overlap with CHEC's professional development offerings for presidents and administrators.

Broad incumbents

• Council of Independent Colleges (CIC): U.S. association of ~600 private, nonprofit colleges. Comparable membership model serving independent higher education institutions with shared services and advocacy, but non-faith-specific.
• National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU): U.S. advocacy association for private nonprofit higher education. Comparable as a national membership body advancing policy and public awareness for independent institutions.

Direct peers

• Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan): National association for Canadian colleges and institutes. Direct comparable as a Canadian post-secondary membership organization offering advocacy, applied research support, and member services.
• Universities Canada: National association representing Canadian universities. Comparable as a domestic higher education membership body, though broader in scope and not faith-specific.
• Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU): U.S.-based association of 180+ Christian colleges and universities. Most direct functional peer to CHEC, providing similar collaboration, advocacy, and professional development programs to member institutions.
• Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU): U.S. association of Catholic higher education institutions. Comparable faith-based higher education membership body providing collaboration and advocacy to member schools.

Regional players

• Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE): Canadian organization promoting international education. Comparable as a Canada-based education association, with overlapping international student and mobility programming relevant to CHEC's network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Christian Higher Education Canada, Inc.