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ACCM History at a Glance

When the AIDS epidemic started across Canada in the early 1980’s there
were already in existence many gay associations and organizations.
Many doctors in major Montreal hospitals began to realize the lack of community
support for the individuals contracting HIV/AIDS who were often discriminated
against and abandoned by family and friends.

These doctors contacted Mr. David Cassidy at the CSSVM
(Centre des services sociaux de Ville-Marie) to create a new
organization for individuals with HIV/AIDS.

1983 Montreal AIDS Resource Committee/Association des Ressources
Montréalaises contre le Sida (MARC/ARMS)

  • First community AIDS resource in Canada, bilingual group
  • Support was given to those individuals who were still ‘closeted’
    and forced out by the definition of the disease.
  • One of the main goals to stop the panic forming within and
    outside of the gay community
    • .
1983 Comité Sida Aide Montréal (CSAM)
  • A group split and formed this organization feeling MARC/ARMS to be too gay oriented
  • CSAM was government funded and had a triple mandate:
    Prevention/Intervention/Care
  • CSAM was originally intended to be a bilingual resource
 1987 AIDS Community Care Montreal/Sida bénévoles Montréal
  • Several members of the English Services Committee at CSAM left to form
    a new organization which would target the needs of the Anglophone community
    living with HIV/AIDS
  • Members also felt CSAM focused too greatly on dying rather than living with HIV/AIDS
  • The following year MARC/ARMS and ACCM merged under the name ACCM
    and was incorporated as a not for profit organization.
  • The organization then obtained charitable status from Revenu Canada
  • Due to lack of funds people met in church basements and members' homes.
  • The disease began to change, people were not dying as fast. PHAs became
    more knowledgeable and support groups based on their needs were formed as
    well as the Buddy Program (one on one accompaniment).
  • Changes in funding enabled ACCM to hire paid staff.
  • ACCM joined the Canadian AIDS Society in 1992 and the Coalition des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le Sida (COCQ-Sida) in 1994
    • .
1994
  • The J.R. Ranch better known as the Depot was located on Moncalm St.
    It was a garage where those who died could leave their belongings
 1995
  • ACCM opened an office on St-Jacques
  • Education and Prevention (basic outreach) and Volunteer Department was
    formed with small funding from Health Canada
  • In July, it was decided to close the Depot to instead open a Drop In Centre
    in August so clients could continue to meet in a non-judgemental space.
  • In November, ACCM's office moved to Montcalm St.
 1996
  • The Drop In Centre and office moved to 1301 Sherbrooke E where the
    City of Montreal was offering space to community groups.
  • No funding was received at the time apart from $60 per month
    from the Farha Foundation for food.
 1997
  • Funding was received from Glaxo-Wellcome Pharmaceuticals to build a
    kitchen in the Drop In Centre finally completed and launched in May 1999.
 1998
  • In July, ACCM’s office moved to 2075 Plessis
  • Funding was received to have a paid Drop In Director 2 days per week
    as well as a part-time Case Manager and Director of Social Services
 1999
  • ACCM started the Buyers’ Club, a participant-run food cooperative as
    well as a Community Garden. Funding was provided by Farha Foundation.
  • ACCM received full four-year funding for Education & Prevention
    for one full time employee
  • Drop In began being funded on a regular basis through ACAP
    (AIDS Community Action Program) Health Promotion budget and
    continues to be the core funding of the centre today.
  • ACCM received through COCQ-Sida the mandate for SMT
    (Sida dans le milieu du travail) for the Island of Montreal which
    provides training in the workplace to employers and employees.
 2001
  • Social Services Director noted significant decline in participation in support groups
  • With additional funding from Heritage Canada, the Education & Prevention
    Department was able to hire an assistant
  • A paid position was created for fundraising
  • Director of Social Services became the Support Services Assistant
    in order to better reflect the polyvalent role in client support services
 2002
  • Project Grant funding from Health Canada permitted the Safer Tattooing and BodyPiercing project as well as Love, Sex and Disclosure (closed workshop series
    on sexuality, disclosure of status and prevention for HIV-positive people).
  • With increasing demand from clients, ACCM re-launches support groups with
    the model of closed, fixed-term groups. Two such groups are formed, joining
    the two existing ongoing open groups, one geared to gay men and the other
    addressing spirituality issues.
 2003
  • ACCM continues to be involved in the greater HIV/AIDS movement, with
    membership in the Canadian AIDS Society, COCQ-Sida, the Canadian
    HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information
    Exchange and the Canadian Treatment Action Council.
  • ACCM marks the fifteenth anniversary of its incorporation (1 February 1988)
    with a press conference and the launch of its new-look web site.