Interview with the 2025 Janette Bertrand Wellness Award Recipient

On November 13, 2025, during the grand TAM-TAM DON evening, a moment of grace swept through the Mount Stephen’s Elizabeth Ballroom. Under enthusiastic applause, Marjolaine St-Jules—trained social worker, co-founder of Rêvanous, and a central figure in the advancement of inclusion in Québec—received the 2025 Janette Bertrand Wellness Award from Madame Bertrand herself, joined by Marie-Claude Barrette, Jury President, and Julie Bélanger, spokesperson for Tel-Aide Montréal.

For this second edition of the award—its very first having honoured Janette Bertrand in 2024—the jury’s choice felt self-evident: to celebrate a woman who, for more than 23 years, has transformed the daily lives and future prospects of adults living with a mild intellectual disability (MID) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

A woman with heart.
A woman of action.
A woman who builds well-being and dignity, one person at a time.

A Life Woven from Listening, Resilience, and Maternal Intuition

At 79, Marjolaine describes herself simply: a mother of two children of whom she is profoundly proud. Her son is well established in life. Her daughter, now 40, lives with a mild intellectual disability and autism. She works at Friperie Renaissance, participates in a CRDI program, and since 2020 has lived in a supported independent apartment within Habitations Rêvanous.

It is around this maternal journey that her mission took shape.
She says it without hesitation:

“My daughter is the centre of my life.”

Marjolaine devoted decades to accompanying her, understanding her needs, imagining solutions where none existed, and building an environment where she could become autonomous, “to the extent of her abilities.”

From Worry to Action: The Birth of a Vision

Like many parents of adults with an intellectual disability, one question returned again and again:

“What will happen to my child when I’m no longer here?”

This worry—combined with the deterioration of public services caused by system reorganizations—pushed Marjolaine to take action.

In 2002, after attending a significant conference on housing autonomy, she joined a group of parents determined to create lasting solutions. Together, they founded a non-profit organization: Rêvanous, officially founded in 2004. They negotiated agreements with the OMHM to reserve studio apartments for adults with MID/ASD and developed residential autonomy workshops co-led by an educator and a parent—an innovative method that would become the organization’s signature.

She facilitated these workshops for nine years. Her daughter would participate in them, as well as in those offered by Archipel de l’Avenir, another organization she helped strengthen.

As the scale of needs became clear, a broader vision emerged: creating a truly inclusive, sustainable, secure living environment. Working with the GRT Bâtir son Quartier, Rêvanous designed and built Habitations Rêvanous under the AccèsLogis program—a set of innovative, adapted housing units with social mix.

Tenants moved in in 2015. In 2020, Marjolaine’s daughter was finally ready to take this long-awaited step.

Receiving the Janette Bertrand Wellness Award: A Meaningful Surprise

When Marjolaine learned she was a finalist for the award, she was stunned.
Rêvanous’ executive director had submitted her name without telling her.

She sees the recognition as threefold:

• from Tel-Aide Montréal, which shines a light on a cause often overlooked;
• from Life itself, for valuing years of commitment;
• and above all, from Rêvanous, its Board, and its staff.

To her, the award is not just about her. It highlights intellectual disability and autism—their realities, their strengths, and the necessity of respectful, adequate support.

“By choosing me, Tel-Aide is helping bring intellectual disability out of the shadows and into the light.

And then, there was the encounter with Janette Bertrand—an experience she recounts with admiration:
a woman she describes as “vibrant, spirited, brilliant in heart and mind,” a bold centenarian who broke taboos and reminded us that well-being can be lived at any age.

A Committed Vision of Well-Being and Inclusion

For Marjolaine, promoting well-being and inclusion is both a human and social necessity.

She speaks candidly about the struggle involved in supporting a person with MID/ASD. She deplores the persistent prejudices—the way people so often focus on limitations rather than qualities, inner richness, and real strengths.

She offers a clear, honest, and uncompromising analysis:

• public institutions lack long-term vision;
• services are fragmented;
• community organizations are underfunded despite their essential role;
• the risk of homelessness among adults with MID/ASD, as parents age, is real.

She dreams of a human, sustainable, structured shift.
Of a society that invests where meaning lies.
Of real recognition of every person’s right to live with dignity.

Message to the Public: Open Your Heart to Difference

If Marjolaine had only one message to share, it would be this:

“Open your heart and your mind. There is so much richness in our differences.”

She reminds us that people with MID/ASD are capable, authentic, generous, persevering, affectionate.
That they dream of autonomy like anyone else.
That they can be productive and contribute to society when given proper support.

And she adds, frankly:

“Who has never needed help?”

A Hopeful Look Toward the Future

When asked what she hopes for in the coming years, Marjolaine dreams of deep change:

• fewer unnecessary public expenditures;
• more investment in housing, homelessness, and poverty reduction;
• high-quality services for people with disabilities;
• increased funding for organizations that truly build inclusion;
• more and better supported inclusive housing projects;
• and continued development at Rêvanous.

Her wish is nearly a manifesto: that society reconnect with the meaning of being human.

A Recipient Who Embodies the Essence of Caring

Honouring Marjolaine St-Jules means honouring:

• the quiet strength of parents fighting for their children’s autonomy;
• the power of listening that uplifts and supports;
• the conviction that everyone deserves to live fully, with respect and dignity;
• and the belief that mental well-being is also nurtured through belonging, inclusion, and human presence.

Tel-Aide Montréal is proud to celebrate a woman who, for more than two decades, has opened pathways to a fairer, kinder, more accessible—and profoundly human—world.