Olympiques spéciaux Québec

What Olympiques spéciaux Québec does

Olympiques spéciaux Québec is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1981 that operates as the Quebec provincial chapter of Special Olympics Canada, headquartered at 7665 Boul. Lacordaire, 4th floor, Montréal. It provides sports, health, and social-inclusion programs for thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities across Quebec, delivered through community-based local chapters (sections locales) and supported by approximately 1,500 volunteer coaches, health professionals, and accompanists.

The organization's core portfolio comprises 17 winter and summer sports (athletics, swimming, soccer, basketball, bocce, bowling, curling, figure skating, speed skating, snowshoeing, alpine skiing, and others), the Healthy Communities (Communauté en santé) intervention model, five Healthy Athletes clinic tracks (vision, dental, podiatry, physical therapy, health promotion), Unified Sports, a school program, and competitive pathways running from Provincial Games through National Games to World Games. Technology infrastructure consists of internal information-management systems for athlete profiles, volunteer management, and donation tracking, with member data managed through Special Olympics Canada's pan-Canadian database hosted on a secure server in Toronto. No proprietary software, API, SDK, or AI/ML capability is described.

Olympiques spéciaux Québec is funded through individual donations, corporate partnerships (including the Mirella and Lino Saputo Foundation, the Sandra and Alain Bouchard Foundation, and National Bank), and recurring event-driven fundraising, most notably the annual SUMMA benefit gala ($901,553 raised in 2026) and the Polar Bear Challenge campaign ($325,907.11 raised in 2026). The Law Enforcement Torch Run and media partnerships with La Presse and RDS support visibility and additional fundraising. The organization is led by Executive Director Francine Gendron and Board Chairman Daniel Granger, with a board drawn from communications, finance, sports, and legal industries, and operates as a registered non-profit under Quebec law.

Name

Olympiques spéciaux Québec

Legal name

Olympiques spéciaux Québec

Website

https://olympiquesspeciauxquebec.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Olympiques spéciaux Québec is a Montreal-based non-profit founded in 1981 that delivers sports, health, and inclusive community programs for thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities across Quebec, supported by roughly 1,500 volunteer coaches and funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and annual fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Sports Programs for People with Intellectual Disabilities

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability & Adaptive Sport Governing Bodies (Paralympic & Sport-Specific) (MPAKAFAL), Olympic & Multi-Sport Movement Organizations (NOCs, Olympic Committees) (MPAKACAI), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Adaptive sports programs
• Intellectual disability services
• Inclusive athletics programs
• Non-profit sports organization
• Unified community sports

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support athletes with intellectual disabilities through various giving programs including the SUMMA annual gala, Polar Bear Challenge campaign, and general donations.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Corporate engagement through partnership programs, sponsorships, and event support. Companies such as National Bank co-chair the annual SUMMA gala.
3. Annual SUMMA Gala: Annual benefit gala raising funds through ticket sales, donations, and corporate sponsorships. The 2026 edition raised a record $901,553.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Olympiques spéciaux Québec is a non-profit organization that delivers year-round sports training, competitive events, and health programs to thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities across Quebec. Its portfolio includes 17 winter and summer sports, the Healthy Communities health intervention model, five Healthy Athletes screening clinic types, Unified Sports® pairing athletes with and without disabilities, a school-based delivery program, and competitive pathways spanning Provincial, National, and World Games. Programs are offered free of charge to athletes and sustained through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and fundraising events such as the annual SUMMA gala.

Product overview

Olympiques spéciaux Québec operates as a unified portfolio of sports, health, and community programs for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The core offerings include 17 sports programs (winter and summer), the Healthy Communities health intervention model, and five types of Healthy Athletes clinics. Supporting programs include Unified Sports, a School Program, and competitive pathways through Provincial, National, and World Games. Fundraising initiatives including the SUMMA gala, Polar Bear Challenge, and Law Enforcement Torch Run sustain operations. The organization serves thousands of athletes across Quebec, supported by approximately 1,500 volunteer coaches and health professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SUMMA: Annual benefit gala / major fundraising event celebrating the organization's mission and achievements.
• Polar Bear Challenge
• Communauté en santé (Healthy Communities)
• Unified Sports®

Products and services

• 17 Sports Programs (Winter and Summer) Year-round training and competition across 17 winter and summer sports — including athletics, swimming, soccer, basketball, bocce, bowling, curling, figure skating, speed skating, alpine skiing, snowshoeing, and more — offered free of charge to athletes with intellectual disabilities across Quebec.
• Communauté en santé (Healthy Communities) An evidence-based health intervention model addressing the severe health disparities (16-year earlier mortality) faced by people with intellectual disabilities, delivering integrated health programming in community settings.
• Cliniques Athlètes en santé (Healthy Athletes Clinics) Free health screening and education clinics for athletes with intellectual disabilities, including five clinic types: Opening Eyes (vision), Bouche et dents en santé / Special Smiles (dental), Pieds en santé / Fit Feet (podiatry), Athlètes en action / Funfitness (physical therapy), and Promotion de la santé / Health Promotion.
• Sport unifié (Unified Sports®) Sports program that pairs athletes with intellectual disabilities and athletes without intellectual disabilities on the same teams, enabling inclusive competitive and recreational play that drives social inclusion beyond segregated programming.
• Programme scolaire (School Program) Adapted sports programming delivered within Quebec schools, providing inclusive physical education and sports opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities and supporting teacher training.
• Jeux provinciaux (Provincial Games) Provincial-level multi-sport competitive games held in Quebec for athletes with intellectual disabilities, forming the entry tier of the competitive pathway from local play toward national and international competition.
• Jeux nationaux (National Games) National-level multi-sport competition representing Quebec at the Canadian Special Olympics Games, forming the second tier of the competitive pathway for selected Quebec athletes.
• Jeux mondiaux (World Games) International Special Olympics competition events, including the World Winter Games and World Summer Games, representing the elite tier of the competitive pathway for selected Quebec athletes on the global stage.

Quantifiable outcome

• People with intellectual disabilities die 16 years earlier on average than the general population - Healthy Communities addresses this disparity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Law Enforcement Torch RuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolice officers participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run, a major fundraising initiative for Special Olympics Quebec. Guards of honour composed of various police departments welcome guests at events.
• McGill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the Grand rendez-vous unifié event with 564 participants, supporting inclusive sports programming.
• La PresseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing coverage and visibility for Special Olympics Quebec programs and events.
• Réseau des sports (RDS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing broadcast coverage and visibility for Special Olympics Quebec programs.
• Special Olympics CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization governing Special Olympics programs across Canada. Olympiques spéciaux Québec is a provincial chapter operating under Special Olympics Canada's governance and sharing member data through the pan-Canadian database.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics International: Global parent of the Special Olympics movement; comparable in mission and program model and the ultimate brand owner of SOQ's programs.
• Canadian Paralympic Committee: National body for elite Paralympic athletes with disabilities; overlaps in mission for athletes with disabilities and Quebec representation, though focused on elite competition rather than grassroots participation.

Regional players

• Sport'Aide: Quebec-based organization promoting safe and inclusive sport environments; overlaps in Quebec-specific sport inclusion mission and shares local stakeholder relationships.
• Special Olympics Ontario: Largest provincial Special Olympics chapter by athlete base; serves the same athlete population with the same sport/health/unified program model in a neighboring province.

Direct peers

• Inclusion Canada: National federation advocating for people with intellectual disabilities and their families; overlaps directly with SOQ's target population and family/advocate engagement model.
• Easter Seals Canada: Federation providing programs and services for people with disabilities, including youth and recreation; comparable in mission and non-profit delivery model across Canada.
• AlterGo: Quebec federation for adapted sports for people with disabilities; directly comparable as a Quebec-based disability sports organization with overlapping athlete and program categories.
• Special Olympics Canada: The national governing body that SOQ operates under. Directly comparable as the parent Special Olympics organization sharing the same mission, programs, and brand across Canada.

Others

• Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities: National charity funding youth sports participation for kids facing financial barriers; a complementary funder/potential partner rather than a direct competitor, serving a different population subset.
• Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ): Quebec student sport federation; potential school program channel partner and overlapping in Quebec school sport delivery infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OSQ_Info
• Facebookfacebook.com/olympiquesspeciauxquebec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/olympiques-speciaux-quebec
• Instagraminstagram.com/olympiquesspeciauxquebec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Olympiques spéciaux Québec