IDEA Training Collaborative
IDEA Training Collaborative is a Toronto-based registered charity providing official Toronto Shelter Standards training plus CPI, UMAB, First Aid, and mental health certifications for Ontario shelter, housing, drop-in, and broader social service sector staff.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What IDEA Training Collaborative does
IDEA Training Collaborative is a Toronto-based, federally registered nonprofit charity (Charitable Registration Number 86081 6396 RR0001; founded September 18, 1997; formerly Toronto Hostels Training Centre, rebranded in 2025 to IDEA, standing for Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable and Affordable) that provides professional development and compliance training primarily to shelter, respite, drop-in, and broader social service sector staff across Ontario. It operates as the official provider of Toronto Shelter Standards training and a certified training centre for Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, with additional portfolio offerings in UMAB (Understanding and Managing Aggressive Behaviour), Mental Health First Aid, Standard First Aid & CPR, A.S.I.S.T. (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), harm reduction, trauma-informed care, board governance, and anti-Black racism training.
The delivery platform combines an internal IDEA Training Portal (portal.ideatraining.org) for course registration, group account management, certificate issuance, and membership administration with Absorb LMS for self-paced e-learning (30-day access, 4-7 modules per course, 5-10 quiz questions per module, unlimited attempts, responsive design). Instructor-led sessions are offered in-person at its Toronto headquarters (65 Wellesley St. East, Suite 501, with three rentable training rooms: Anderson up to 40, Upper up to 34, Kopani up to 16 participants) and virtually via live online sessions; agency training is delivered as customized private cohorts (minimum 15 participants) with dedicated coordination. Core staff of 8 are supported by a roster of 23+ specialist instructors.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: individual memberships ($65/year) and sliding-scale agency memberships ($200/year for 1-100 staff, $375 for 101-500, $500 for 501+ staffing agencies fixed at $500) providing workshop discounts and access to member-only courses; per-workshop fees of approximately $120 for one-day sessions and $250-$350 for blended or two-day workshops; self-paced e-learning courses priced $75-$120; customized agency training with case-scenario development fees of $200; and hourly training room rentals at $50 ($75 premium). Membership discounts of $10 per workshop and bulk/group registration capability for agencies support the self-serve and assisted go-to-market motions targeting both individual learners and mid-market organizations.
IDEA Training Collaborative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IDEA Training Collaborative
- Legal name
- IDEA Training Collaborative
- Website
- https://ideatraining.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- IDEA Training Collaborative is a Toronto-based registered charity providing official Toronto Shelter Standards training plus CPI, UMAB, First Aid, and mental health certifications for Ontario shelter, housing, drop-in, and broader social service sector staff.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IDEA Training Collaborative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Services Training
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM)
Keywords
Where IDEA Training Collaborative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
IDEA Training Collaborative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Membership: Annual individual membership at $65 providing reduced training rates ($10 discount per workshop), access to member-only courses, and training schedule updates. Membership is non-transferable and valid for one year from purchase date.
- Organization/Agency Membership: Annual agency membership with sliding scale pricing based on organization size: 1-100 staff at $200/year, 101-500 staff at $375/year, 501+ staff at $500/year. Provides discounted training rates, member-only course access, group registration, and invoicing eligibility.
- Workshop/Course Fees: Per-workshop fees for instructor-led and blended courses: one-day workshops typically $120, two-day and blended sessions range $250-$350. E-learning courses range $75-$120. Membership discounts of $10 per workshop available.
- Agency/Group Training: Customized training for agencies with minimum 15 participants. Per-person rates for specific courses (A.S.I.S.T., Standard First Aid, CPI, Mental Health First Aid). Customization options include customized case scenarios ($200 development fee) and in-depth customization with site visits (cost determined by requirements). 25% non-refundable deposit required.
- Training Room Rentals: Rental of three training rooms (Anderson Room - up to 40 capacity, Upper Room - up to 34 capacity, Kopani Room - up to 16 capacity) at 65 Wellesley St. East. Standard rate $50/hour, premium rate $75/hour for evenings, weekends, and Mondays. IT support available at $25/hour. Member discounts available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Annual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Organization Membership - Small (1-100 staff) |
| Subscription | Annual | Organization Membership - Medium (101-500 staff) |
| Subscription | Annual | Organization Membership - Large (501+ staff) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | One-Day Instructor-Led Workshops |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Two-Day/Blended Workshops |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Paced E-Learning Courses |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Special Pricing - Anti-Black Racism Courses |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Agency Training Per-Person Rates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Training Room Rentals |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
IDEA Training Collaborative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IDEA Training Collaborative is a registered nonprofit training organization that delivers training and certification programs for shelter and social service staff. Offerings include instructor-led workshops, self-paced e-learning, and customized agency training, with formal designations as the official provider of Toronto Shelter Standards training and as a certified centre for CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, UMAB, and Standard First Aid.
Product overview
IDEA Training Collaborative is a non-profit training organization (formerly Toronto Hostels Training Centre) offering a portfolio of professional development courses for shelter, housing, drop-in, and social service sector workers. The portfolio consists of three primary delivery channels: (1) Instructor-Led Calendar Training with scheduled in-person and virtual workshops, (2) Self-Paced E-Learning delivered through Absorb LMS, and (3) Agency Training for customized on-site or virtual organizational training. These are complemented by certification programs including CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, UMAB, Toronto Shelter Standards (official provider), Mental Health First Aid, Standard First Aid & CPR, and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (A.S.I.S.T.). The organization also offers Individual and Organization/Agency Memberships for discounted access, a Life on Track financial support program, and bookable training room facilities at its Toronto office. All registrations are managed through the internal IDEA Training Portal (portal.ideatraining.org).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training
- UMAB (Understanding and Managing Aggressive Behaviour) Training
- Toronto Shelter Standards Training
- Standard First Aid & CPR
- Mental Health First Aid Certification
- A.S.I.S.T. (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
- Instructor-Led Training (Calendar Sessions)
- Self-Paced E-Learning
- Agency Training
- Individual Membership
- Organization / Agency Membership
- Training Room Rentals
Quantifiable outcome
- Organizations maintain audit-ready training records with certificates, reports, and renewal reminders
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use IDEA Training Collaborative
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
IDEA Training Collaborative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
IDEA Training Collaborative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Homelessness Partnership Initiative (HPI)corePartnership since 2007 to host/deliver Employability Training as part of the Employability Initiative. Expanded in 2008 to include Life on Track component. Extended for five years until March 2021. Delivered training to shelter residents on computers, resume skills, interview skills, WHMIS, and First Aid/CPR.
- City of Toronto (Hostels Services Division)coreOriginal founding partner along with Ontario Association of Hostels. Established the Toronto Hostels Training Centre in response to an inquest into deaths of shelter users, developing essential staff training for the shelter system.
- Ontario Association of Hostels (OAH) - Toronto ChaptercoreOriginal founding partner along with City of Toronto Hostels Services Division. Partnered to develop training for shelter staff and foster exchange of ideas and best practices.
- Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)coreCertified training centre for CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (3rd Edition). Provides official certification training with evidence-based, hands-off de-escalation strategies. Membership required for CPI course registration per CPI requirements.
- Toronto Shelter Network (TSN)majorOngoing partnership with diverse group of shelters that meet regularly to discuss issues, develop strategies, and engage in activities to affect quality of service delivery. Training developed to meet shelter staff needs.
- Toronto Drop-In Network (TDIN)majorPartnership since 2006 offering Drop-In Service Skills Training Certificate. Training Centre's Course Committee includes Drop-In Centre Training and Capacity Building Coordinator for input on future training and sector updates.
- Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness (TAEH)minorAssociation representing organizations with interest in ending homelessness. IDEA Training Collaborative sits at the table of member organizations, contributing to broader sector coordination.
- East York & East Toronto Family Resources (EYET)majorPartnership from 2012-2015 on Core Curriculum Training Project Advisory Committee through RENT and EYET. Continued partnership in delivery of Housing Help Services Certificate Program for Housing Help sector.
- Canadian Training Institute (CTI)minorTraining partnership providing comprehensive training for Centre's membership and clientele in conjunction with other training providers.
- Toronto Public HealthminorTraining partnership providing comprehensive training for Centre's membership and clientele.
- Shelter Support and Housing AdministrationminorTraining partnership providing comprehensive training for Centre's membership and clientele.
- Housing Stability Policy and Strategic InvestmentsminorTraining partnership providing comprehensive training for Centre's membership and clientele.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IDEA Training Collaborative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Canadian Red Cross: National humanitarian organization that delivers Standard First Aid and CPR certification training to workplaces and community organizations across Canada. Directly comparable because they offer the same regulated first aid/CPR certification courses IDEA runs, though the Red Cross operates across all sectors while IDEA focuses on shelter/social service workplaces.
- Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI): Global provider of crisis prevention and intervention training, including the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention curriculum IDEA delivers. Comparable because they offer overlapping certification training in de-escalation and behavior management, though CPI operates at global scale across multiple industries while IDEA specializes in the shelter/social service vertical.
- St. John Ambulance (Canada): Long-established Canadian provider of Standard First Aid, CPR, and emergency response certification training. Comparable because they deliver the same regulated first aid certification courses offered by IDEA, with a broader geographic footprint and broader audience base.
- Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC): National body that licenses the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curriculum delivered by IDEA. Comparable as both organizations run certified mental health training programs for workplace and community audiences, though MHCC is a national policy/standards body rather than a focused training provider.
Regional players
- Calgary Homeless Foundation: Alberta-based organization focused on ending homelessness through coordinated systems planning, including capacity-building for shelter and frontline staff. Comparable because they serve a parallel role in their region (workforce development and sector coordination for homelessness services), though focused on Calgary rather than Toronto.
Direct peers
- Canadian Training Institute (CTI): Toronto-area training partner that collaborates with IDEA Training Collaborative to deliver courses to shared clientele. Directly comparable as another GTA-based professional training organization serving similar human service and nonprofit audiences through instructor-led and customized training.
- LivingWorks Education: Developer of the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (A.S.I.S.T.) and safeTALK curricula that IDEA delivers to shelter and social service workers. Directly comparable because they provide the underlying certification framework for one of IDEA's most popular courses and operate through a similar train-the-trainer/network model.
Others
- A Way Home Canada: National coalition working to prevent and end youth homelessness, providing training, resources, and convening for the homelessness-serving sector. Adjacent comparable because they operate in the same homeless-services ecosystem and serve overlapping audiences, though their focus is systems-level advocacy and youth-specific rather than direct staff training delivery.
- Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA): Provincial association representing non-profit housing providers in Ontario, offering training and capacity-building to member organizations. Comparable because they serve overlapping member organizations in the Ontario housing and homelessness sector and offer professional development programming, though from an association/membership model rather than direct course delivery.
- Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness (TAEH): Toronto-based alliance coordinating cross-sector efforts to end homelessness, of which IDEA is a member organization. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that engages the same shelter and social service workforce, though TAEH's role is sector coordination and advocacy rather than direct training delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IDEA Training Collaborative social profiles
Digital presenceIDEA Training Collaborative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IDEA Training Collaborative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
IDEA Training Collaborative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IDEA Training Collaborative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IDEA Training Collaborative
What does IDEA Training Collaborative do?
IDEA Training Collaborative is a registered nonprofit training organization that delivers training and certification programs for shelter and social service staff. Offerings include instructor-led workshops, self-paced e-learning, and customized agency training, with formal designations as the official provider of Toronto Shelter Standards training and as a certified centre for CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, UMAB, and Standard First Aid.
Is IDEA Training Collaborative a public or private company?
IDEA Training Collaborative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was IDEA Training Collaborative founded?
IDEA Training Collaborative was founded in 1997.
Where is IDEA Training Collaborative based?
IDEA Training Collaborative is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does IDEA Training Collaborative make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Membership is the primary driver. The others are organization/Agency Membership, workshop/Course Fees, agency/Group Training and training Room Rentals.
Who are IDEA Training Collaborative's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Canadian Red Cross, Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), St. John Ambulance (Canada) and Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC). Calgary Homeless Foundation is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Canadian Training Institute (CTI) and LivingWorks Education. Others are A Way Home Canada, Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) and Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness (TAEH).
Does IDEA Training Collaborative have an API?
No public API is recorded for IDEA Training Collaborative.
What industry is IDEA Training Collaborative in?
IDEA Training Collaborative's product category is Social Services Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACANAM, Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer). Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.