General information

The Secrétariat à l’action communautaire autonome et aux initiatives sociales (SACAIS) enables the Québec government to recognize the contributions of communities and volunteers. It also manages the Fonds d’aide à l’action communautaire autonome (assistance fund for independent community action), which ensures sustained funding for community action from one year to the next. The following paragraphs provide administrative information about SACAIS.

• Description
• Mandate
• How to reach the SACAIS

Description

The creation of SACAIS by the Québec government on March 15, 1995, marked the start of a formal approach for recognizing community and volunteer action.

On October 11 of the same year, the government created the Fonds d’aide à l’action communautaire autonome (assistance fund for independent community action). Thanks to the funding mechanism established by the Act to amend the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif, this special fund ensures that financial support is available for independent community action on an ongoing basis, year after year.

The Ministre de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale is responsible for applying Division III.1 of the act Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (CQLR, chapter M-30), regarding independent community action.

Mandate

SACAIS has been assigned the following mandate:

• Administer the Fonds d’aide à l’action communautaire autonome
• (assistance fund for independent community action)
• Administer the Fonds québécois d’initiatives sociales (Québec fund for social initiatives)
• Manage the Programme de soutien aux initiatives sociales et communautaires (social and community initiative support program)
• Manage the Programme de soutien financier des corporations de développement communautaires (financial support program for community development corporations)
• Act as paying agent for the Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie in the area of international humanitarian action
• Contribute to funding for community action and collective rights advocacy
• Administer the Hommage bénévolat-Québec (volunteer recognition) awards.

How to reach the Secrétariat

Secrétariat à l'action communautaire autonome et aux initiatives sociales
Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale
425, rue Jacques-Parizeau, 1^er étage
Québec (Québec)  G1R 4Z1
Phone: 418 646-9270 or
Elsewhere in Québec: 1 800 577-2844 (toll-free)
Email: sacais@mtess.gouv.qc.ca