Just like in a movie...

Everyone loves fairy tales. And even if we know it will have a happy ending, our story is far from over!

1994

The beginning

In the mid 90’s, young teacher Yves Latour, aka Zoulou, launched Sportmax. To his great surprise, his idea of offering a small day camp during the summer vacations laid the groundwork for the creation of a large network that, 25 years later, has brought tens of thousands of smiles from satisfied children.

1997

The Mission

The small day camp was relocated to Collège Lionel-Groulx in Sainte-Thérèse and Sportmax’s mission took shape: to offer children specialized day camps that combine fun and learning. It was an innovative undertaking at a time when the landscape was dominated by playgrounds and regular day camps. A camp counsellor, Tournevis, made his debut there, and was far from suspecting what the adventure would hold for him…

1999

The expansion

Building on the success of the camps at Collège Lionel-Groulx, which attracted more than 2,500 children each summer, Sportmax began its expansion with the opening of a second site, this time at Cégep de Saint-Laurent. The concept was refined, the choice of specialties increased, and the kids loved it!

1999-2003

The conquest of the West

In the early 2000s, the network expanded in the Montreal area and reached the Outaouais region. After a few summers of animation, Tournevis became one of the coordinators. It was at this time that the logistical organization was perfected. The guidance of the employees improved, and the theme-oriented atmosphere became central to the activities offered. A new counsellor also made his debut: Speaker. Yet another staff member who had no idea how far this summer job would take him!

2004

An established reputation

Tournevis joined the management team while Speaker was promoted to coordinator. The excellent reputation of Sportmax made it a leading brand and allowed for the continued development of its network of day camps. More than 10,000 children participated each summer. The care taken with logistics, the talent of the animation team and the variety of choices of specialties then become the 3 cornerstones of the “Sportmax quality”.

2008-2012

A new impetus

Speaker joined Tournevis on the management team, along with Chloramine, who was responsible for managing activity centers and aquatic facilities, a fast-growing sector for the company. As for the camps, several changes were underway and culminate in the unveiling, in the summer of 2012, of a new brand image. The new image perfectly sums up Sportmax’s mission: to make sure that children, parents, and employees all want to shout, “I love my day camp!”

2012

A strong sense of belonging

With the conviction that the strength of a day camp lies in the passion and sense of belonging of its employees, Tournevis and Speaker created the end-of-summer gala Les Zoulous d’Or. Thanks to the breathtaking opening acts imagined and directed by the inseparable duo and the involvement of all team members, this great celebration rewards the best in camp animation and organization every summer. The same year, the Fan Club website was created, allowing children and parents to establish and maintain a close tie with the day camps.

2015

A new network

The first Les Fouineux camp was created in Île-Bizard, Montreal, with a focus on the importance of learning while having fun. A second network was then launched, offering a more traditional camp formula to curious children, combined with a distinctive touch: specialized workshops offered to all. At the same time, the specialized camps continued to expand.

2018

The first trio at the helm!

Sportmax founder Yves Latour and his partner, France Brouillette, are passing the torch to the trio of Tournevis, Speaker and Chloramine. At the heart of the company’s development for many years, the new partners are carrying on the growth and adding, between 2018 and 2024, numbers of new day camps locations.

2024

Looking forward to what's next...

Today, Sportmax is proud to offer high quality day camps to nearly 25,000 children each summer and a life-changing employment experience to over 700 students. For thousands of parents, our camps provide the satisfaction of having made the right choice year after year. And the trio now at the helm of the company can see the magnitude of the adventure they started while they were still students!

Join us and be a part of our adventure. We are confident that you will love our day camps as much as we do!

Understanding tax deductions

When you pay for day camps, the amount paid is eligible as childcare expenses on your income tax return. By considering the deductions and credits provided for in the Quebec and Canadian tax laws, this amount is significantly reduced.

All taxpayers are entitled to relief, but the amounts of deductions and credits vary according to income and family situation.

At the provincial level

The provincial tax credit reimburses between 67% and 78% of the amount paid in childcare expenses. The percentage applied is based on family income.

At the federal level

The federal tax credit is a deduction of the amount of the fees paid from the lower income of the parents. Thus, the amount paid in childcare expenses reduces the income and saves the tax payable on the equivalent amount declared as childcare expenses.

By February 28 of the year following the summer for which the childcare expenses were paid, we issue a Statement of Child Care Expenses (RL-24 Slip) that you can print through your online enrollment file and use for your provincial and federal tax returns.


This information, based on tax file data for the year 2023, is intended to provide a summary of deductions and credits and is for information purposes only. Since there are many different family situations, please refer to a professional or to the documentation provided by the governments for full details.
https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/tax-credits/tax-credit-for-childcare-expenses/
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/tax-return/completing-a-tax-return/deductions-credits-expenses/line-21400-child-care-expenses.html