The Civic Incubator is a MIS program that aims to prototype and nurture ideas for projects with a social and environmental impact, based on the themes of inclusion, ecology and global health, dreamed up by professionals from SMEs or NPOs, citizens and committed collectives.
There’s no magic to embody change. Join the Civic Incubator. 🧙
Mission: optimize waste management while encouraging sustainable and fair practices.
“Our project aims to meet the needs of municipalities, optimize incentive-based pricing and promote technological standardization in Quebec.” Marie-Caroline Bourg and Alexandra Vermer
Mission: Au Plaisir Atelier offers a circular design approach to transforming used materials into sustainable resources, while educating and raising awareness of the circular economy.
“Au Plaisir Atelier innovates by reintegrating used materials into interior design, transforming waste into functional and aesthetic objects while promoting the circular economy and collaboration between businesses and consumers for a sustainable future.” Julia Tremblay-Boily and Maude Maillé-Daviau
Mission: support asylum seekers through mental health services tailored to their reality.
“CASA aims to be a cooperative of psychologists dedicated to the well-being of the growing number of people seeking asylum in Montreal and Quebec. Each team member is collectively committed to co-creating and delivering culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care, with an emphasis on respect for dignity, inclusivity and professional collaboration.” Myriam Vargas de Luna
Mission: Clic social connects vulnerable populations to existing community resources, reducing isolation and optimizing their overall health.
“We aim to directly connect the healthcare and community sectors, ensuring accurate referrals and ongoing support for users.” Paola Leal and Sheri McLeod
Mission: create spaces for transformation in prisons, using humanist and systemic approaches to encourage the rehumanization and empowerment of inmates and staff.
“Our project focuses on non-violence and working not only on individuals, but also on prison relational dynamics, fostering empathy and collective empowerment to transform power relations and support sustainable rehabilitation.” Kelly Pelletier Michaud and Alexis-Michel Schmitt-Cadet
Mission: combine art and science to transform the challenges faced by teenage girls placed by the DPJ into autonomy, creativity and resilience through a co-created program of artistic innovation.
“RIASP unveils its first initiative, Créatrices Contre-Courant, a program of artistic innovation combining art therapy, empowerment and co-creation. This approach engages teenage girls placed by the DPJ in a process of transformation, helping them to overcome their challenges and become agents of positive change for themselves and their community.” Daphné-Anne Bérard and Raquel Castelo
Mission: support women entrepreneurs who are victims of domestic violence by offering them legal, psychological and financial resources, as well as a supportive network to help them preserve their autonomy and their business.
“Our project is innovative, because it educates, raises awareness and creates inclusive networks to break isolation, promote equality and strengthen the resilience of women entrepreneurs who are victims of violence.” Stephannye-Jessyka Plante Pacheco and Mathieu Ducharme
Mission: provide young girls and non-binary youth with reliable and adapted resources to better understand and manage Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity (ADHD).
“This initiative stands out for its approach focused on empowering girls and non-binary people, providing them with reliable resources tailored to their specific needs, while fostering community engagement.” Jacqueline Di Bartolomeo
Mission: our real estate development model offers single-parent households access to home ownership.
“The aim is to redirect the monthly payments of single-parent households towards a future of home ownership, while involving private investment in a socially impactful and balanced model of real estate development.” Amy Oliver and Philippe St-Louis
Mission: raise young people’s awareness of sexual consent, prevent aggression and provide parents with the tools to tackle this crucial subject with their children.
“Based on our research, no solution seems to offer what we aspire to bring: real consent awareness that’s accessible and impactful for everyone.” Véronique Lavoie and Étienne Morency
Mission: reform Quebec’s family policy to guarantee gender equality, by addressing the economic and social inequalities associated with giving birth and welcoming a newborn.
“Our solution is a social innovation because it finally consults parents on their real needs, to measure the true impact of the maternity and parenthood penalty on life trajectory.” Élizabeth Brosseau
Mission: offer practical tools for cultivating mindfulness in the classroom, fostering attention and emotional management through concrete, transformative approaches.
“My solution stands out for its simplicity of integration, a turnkey solution to enable teachers to support mindfulness without complex preparation, while offering enriching training for themselves and their students.” Marie-Andrée Riendeau
Mission: create inclusive, safe and ecological spaces under Highway 40 to revitalize Saint-Michel and Villeray, promote social inclusion and strengthen community well-being.
“We transform urban blind spots into living places where art, ecology and inclusion intersect, creating a unique and participatory model for revitalization.” Chantal Smedbol and Didier Berry
Mission: the project aims to reduce the loneliness and isolation of seniors by offering active listening and empathetic support services tailored to their specific needs.
“Our innovative approach is based on active listening, by and for seniors, to give them a voice again during difficult times, as a complement to existing services. We adapt our actions to their specific environments, promoting the implementation of flexible and autonomous listening structures developed and supported thanks to Tel-aide Montréal’s expertise.” Nicole Lemire and Sandra Di Quinzio
Mission: to reconnect young people with nature in order to strengthen their autonomy, leadership and mental well-being, while promoting ecological awareness and better overall health.
“Explore aims to empower young people through projects they design themselves, combining autonomy, leadership and the reduction of climate anxiety through a proactive reconnection with nature.” Vincent Raymond
Mission: the project proposes the development of a service to rehabilitate or design housing using a “low-tech” approach to optimize costs, improve comfort for occupants and ensure resilience in the face of climate change.
“This project focuses on improving comfort and affordability, designing buildings with zero energy bills, so operating and construction costs will be lower.” Oscar Hernandez
Mission: we raise awareness of social isolation among young people in Montreal through interactive workshops, discussions and psychological tools to promote inclusion and well-being.
“Our innovative approach is based on collective creativity, giving a voice to artists who have experienced trauma to raise awareness among young people through art, diversity of perspectives and the sublimation of experiences.” Roxanne Melissa Guerra-Lacasse and Adolphe John Peter
Mission: our company is committed to creating innovative solutions to simplify and secure access to housing, strengthening trust between tenants and landlords while promoting fair and inclusive practices.
“Housing is not just an essential need, it’s a right. With fair and transparent tools, we can transform the challenges of the rental market into opportunities for all.” Marcello Stephan
Mission: the mission of our Ocazou project is to offer positive and inclusive menstrual education to young girls, supporting them from their first menstruation with kindness and adapted tools.
“Our solution stands out for its positive, caring approach, offering young girls concrete tools to prepare them serenely for their first menstrual periods, supporting them beyond the simple physiological aspects.” Rita Benouna
Mission: Vitalité 360 promotes the overall well-being of immigrants to Montreal through personalized pathways integrating physical, mental and financial health, in an inclusive and accessible framework to foster their sustainable integration into Quebec society.
“Vitality 360 innovates by combining overall newcomer wellness in a holistic, inclusive and co-created approach tailored to the unique challenges of immigrants.” Darling Emile and Mackes Revolus
We’ve assembled experts with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives who will play a key role in selecting projects for our next cohort. Their expertise will be decisive in identifying high-impact initiatives!
Pictured, from left to right and top to bottom:
🌟 Marie-Christine Ladouceur-Girard, Executive Director, Maison de l’innovation sociale
🌟 Alain Branchaud, General Manager of SNAP Québec – Société pour la nature et les parcs
🌟 Rafaël Provost, executive director of ENSEMBLE pour le respect de la diversité
🌟 Dr. Yun Jen, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine, head of the public health clinical department at CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
🌟 Cécile Vergier, Economic Development Commissioner – Social Innovation, Ville de Montréal
The MIS would like to thank the Government of Quebec, the City of Montreal and the Fondation Béati for their financial support of the Civic Incubator 2025 cohort.
