Since 1989, Éduc’alcool has helped transform the way Quebecers seek information, reflect, and form their views on responsible alcohol consumption. Explore the key milestones that have shaped our mission, our tools, and our influence.

Éduc’alcool is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the Québec population in making informed decisions about alcohol. Since its creation, the organization has been committed to providing accessible, rigorous, and science-based information to encourage a healthier and more responsible relationship with alcohol.

Alcohol holds an important place in Québec’s culture and traditions. It is associated with conviviality, pleasure, and sharing, while also carrying real risks. Talking about alcohol – or about not drinking – can therefore become a sensitive and polarizing topic, touching both personal habits and individual values.

It is within this complex reality that Éduc’alcool operates: by recognizing nuance, respecting diverse experiences, and providing objective reference points so that everyone can exercise their ability to make informed choices.

The Origins

Éduc’alcool was founded in 1989 by five influential individuals from the SAQ, its suppliers, and the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ). Their goal was clear: to provide people who choose to drink with the information they need to better understand the “user’s guide” to alcohol and to adopt responsible behaviours.

The organization was also created in response to a new regulatory requirement: the Regulation respecting promotion, advertising and educational programs relating to alcoholic beverages (Section IV, articles 20 and 21). This framework sought stricter oversight of alcohol-related advertising and required the SAQ and its suppliers to assume greater social responsibility, including the development of educational tools for the public. See our Tools page (link).

From the beginning, Éduc’alcool chose to go beyond regulatory obligations. Unlike other industries that downplayed the risks associated with their products, the founders opted for transparency: offering the public rigorous, science-based information to better understand the issues related to alcohol use and overconsumption.

Since its creation, the organization’s funding has relied on a mechanism that remains in place today: an amount ranging from $0.01 to $0.03, depending on product category, collected by the Société des alcools du Québec and added to the sale price of each alcoholic beverage sold.

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Founding Members
Colette Gilet, representative for alcohol companies
Claude Marier, Vice-President of the SAQ
Pierre Desmarais, director at a major wine producer
Pierre Touchette, csenior executive at a distillery
Ghislain K. Laflamme, President of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec

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From Project Funding to a Leading Role in Prevention and Social Influence

In its early years, Éduc’alcool primarily acted as a funder: the amounts collected through SAQ alcohol sales were redistributed to organizations working to reduce alcohol-related harm.

The organization soon shifted toward prevention rather than downstream intervention. By developing its own educational programs and public awareness initiatives, Éduc’alcool redefined its role and became fully invested in promoting responsible alcohol consumption.

It was also during this period that Éduc’alcool acquired the slogan “Moderation is always in good taste” from the SAQ for one symbolic dollar – a phrase that would become one of Québec’s most iconic prevention messages.

Thanks to the impact of its campaigns, the rigour of its content, and its ability to bring together stakeholders with diverse interests, Éduc’alcool gradually established itself as a trusted reference. Its work – both in the public sphere and with policymakers – strengthened its credibility in Québec, across Canada, and internationally.

From 1990 to 2021, the organization was led by Executive Director Hubert Sacy, whose communication expertise significantly shaped and expanded Éduc’alcool’s awareness campaigns.

In 2020, Éduc’alcool was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Exceptional Merit, a significant recognition of its contribution to educating and raising awareness in Québec.

Tools, Programs, Campaigns and Expanding Social Influence

Over the years, Éduc’alcool has built its work around three complementary pillars: educational tools for the general public, training programs adapted to different settings, and awareness campaigns that have shaped public dialogue.

1. Tools and Publications to Guide the Public

From the start, Éduc’alcool developed practical tools to help people better understand and manage their alcohol consumption: low-risk drinking guidelines, practical guides, the Calcoolator, the standard drink measure, interactive tests, and educational capsules. Updated as scientific knowledge evolves, these tools have contributed to establishing the organization as a reliable source of information.

Supported by its Scientific Council, Éduc’alcool publishes the Alcohol and Health collection, which explains links between alcohol, health, dependence, and harm reduction. The organization also conducts regular Québec-wide surveys to track consumption habits and guide its interventions toward the most relevant issues.

2. Training Programs

Éduc’alcool’s commitment to youth is reflected in the À toi de juger program, designed for upper-elementary and high school students. It provides teachers with tools to address alcohol in an age-appropriate way and aims to build critical thinking, recognize social pressures, and encourage a healthier relationship with alcohol later in life.

In partnership with the ITHQ, Éduc’alcool also developed Action Service, a training program for bar and restaurant staff. Its purpose is to equip front-line teams to prevent overconsumption and ensure responsible service for both clients and establishments.

3. Milestone Campaigns that Shaped Public Dialogue

Éduc’alcool’s awareness campaigns have left a lasting mark on Québec society. The 2-3-4-0 campaign (2012) represented a major turning point by clearly reminding the public of consumption guidelines and emphasizing moderation as a valued behaviour.

Following the pandemic and a change in leadership, the organization adopted a more introspective tone. Questioning Yourself is Finding Your Balance encouraged personal reflection and normalized not drinking. More recently, Why Do I Drink? invited the public to explore their motivations, reinforcing a participatory approach rooted in Quebecers’ reality.

Together, these tools, programs, and campaigns show Éduc’alcool’s ability to adapt its work to Québec’s evolving social, cultural, and scientific realities.

Evolution of Governance

A Structure Originally Rooted in Industry Representation

At its founding, Éduc’alcool’s board of directors brought together representatives from five key sectors of the alcoholic beverage industry:

• the SAQ
• the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ)
• the Association of Québec Distillers
• the Québec Wine Merchants Association
• the Québec Cider Producers Association
• the Québec Association of Wine, Beer and Spirits Agencies

Two independent members – unaffiliated with the industry or government, but concerned by responsible alcohol consumption issues – soon joined the board.

A Notable Exception: Brewers

Major brewers in Québec have never been part of Éduc’alcool’s governance structure. From the beginning, they chose to carry out their own awareness initiatives and comply directly with RACJ regulations.

The Ethics Council: Going Beyond Legal Requirements

Recognizing the limitations of existing legislation governing alcohol advertising and messaging, Éduc’alcool encouraged its industry-related members to adopt a code of ethics stricter than the laws in place. All agreed to do so, including bar and restaurant owners.

This initiative led to the creation of the Québec Alcoholic Beverage Industry Ethics Council, which, starting in 2006, significantly transformed industry practices in communication, promotion, and marketing.

Today, Advertising Standards Canada serves as the external resource for reporting prohibited or non-compliant alcohol-related advertising.

Modernization and Strengthening Independence (2022–2025)

Under the leadership of Executive Director Geneviève Desautels, and with support from the board of directors and its chair Sylvain Dupuis, Éduc’alcool undertook an in-depth modernization of its governance.

Updated Bylaws

In 2024, members voted in favour of new bylaws expanding the organization’s membership:

any individual, organization, or institution committed to promoting responsible alcohol consumption can now become a member of Éduc’alcool.

A Fully Independent Board

Since June 2025:

• no board member comes from the alcoholic beverage industry;
• no company in the sector sits on or influences the organization’s governance, campaigns, or messages.

A Governance Model Rooted in Transparency

These changes ensure autonomous, transparent, and representative governance, strengthening the trust of the public, partners and responsible alcohol consumption stakeholders.

Today and Looking Ahead

Building on its history and the progress achieved through its tools, programs, and campaigns, Éduc’alcool recognizes the ability of Quebecers to make informed choices about alcohol.

In 2022, under Executive Director Geneviève Desautels, the organization began a key shift toward a more qualitative approach – one that considers each individual’s personal reality: habits, life context, social pressures, and both mental and physical health, in order to guide decisions more effectively than with uniform recommendations.

Since October 6, 2025, under the leadership of Executive Director Josée Côté, Éduc’alcool has continued this evolution while emphasizing renewed practices and a strong scientific foundation. Her leadership focuses on three core pillars:

1. Providing clear and accessible information to support informed and responsible decision-making.
2. Developing tools and campaigns that foster personal reflection, within a sustainable prevention framework.
3. Integrating scientific advances into all content and approaches, ensuring up-to-date interventions.

True to its educational mission, Éduc’alcool does not replace government authorities or policy experts. Instead, it acts as a voice, a collaborator, and a contributor – supporting public decision-makers and helping build a more conscious and responsible drinking culture across Québec.