History of the ÉPIC Centre 

In 1968, Dr Paul David, Founder of the Montréal Heart Institute (MHI), peaked the interest of a shrewd businessman by the name of Mr. Lionel Theoret, in a project aimed at showing the benefits of physical activity on the cardiovascular system. Already at that point, statistics showed that cardiovascular disease was affecting an increasingly younger population. The situation was becoming more and more of a concern and it was time to intervene. With the help of Mr. Théoret and under the aegis of Dr. Paul David, a pilot study was set up under the direction of Doctors Claude Goulet, cardiologist, and Claude Allard, Ph.D. Thus, ÉPIC was born. In French, ÉPIC stands for Étude Pilot de l'ICM (pilot study of the Montréal Heart Institute).


Pleased with the results of the study, the project's initiators and administrators pursued their undertaking and created the ÉPIC Foundation in 1972. The Foundation's primary objective was to build the first centre in Canada for preventive medicine and physical activity. It achieved this objective in 1974 when the ÉPIC Centre became a reality.


In 1983, the ÉPIC Centre was integrated into the Montréal Heart Institute, becoming the Institute's Centre of Preventive Medicine and Physical Fitness. The Centre remains a secondary activity of the MHI and receives the majority of its financing from members' fees.


In 2003, the ÉPIC Centre celebrated 35 years of achievement. Its commitment is evident in the various programs offered to its many clients.