reBOOT Canada Programs
reSTART
Low-cost computers for people who receive social assistance benefits in Canada.
reSOURCE
Complete IT solutions for not-for-profit groups and charities located in Canada.
reBOOT Canada and Digital Inclusion
For close to three decades, reBOOT Canada has been a place to donate your used computers, monitors, keyboards, cell phones and so on – and we are proud of our role advocating and supporting responsible diversion of retired electronics from landfill.
Every year, we receive over 14,000 devices from members of the community, large and small businesses and other organizations and agencies. With the help of our industry partners, we make sure devices that can be refurbished and redeployed are and if not viable they are recycled responsibly, generating raw material to be reintroduced into the supply chain. This activity generates a significant portion of the funding that enables our charitable work.
Please see our Circular Economies & Digital Equity page to learn more about how we care for the environment, and how building circular economies can help close the gap on digital equity in Canada.
Our Donors Are the Best
Our donors are leaders in environmental stewardship. They also champion and share the commitment to providing low-cost access to computers and the internet to members of our community. Together, with their help, we are able to provide hundreds of computers to families from Cornerbrook, NFLD to Surrey, BC, over 4TB of free wireless data to communities and thousands of hours of paid-placement and skills development opportunities for young people.
In Canada, challenges to building capacity to address digital equity seem to be rooted in three persistent systemic conditions. Markets create barriers to access tools to improve educational and economic prospects for families/communities/individuals living with low income. The economics of telecom infrastructure prevent distribution of infrastructure to remote and already poorly resourced communities. Systemic attitudes and biases block marginalized groups and youth from exposure to skills development and employment opportunities within the digital economy.
These are circumstances faced by hundreds of thousands of Canadians and with the help of our donors, we work to develop sustainable programs that address these challenges to digital equity and inclusion:
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- reSTART has assisted approximately 1,000 families living with low income across Canada annually by providing a refurbished laptop or desktop, with current operating system, accessories and warranty. These computers are funded in collaboration with municipal social service delivery agencies, corporate and private funding, and cost sharing with the end-user.
- reLAY works in partnership with Indigenous northern and marginalized communities and the Cisco Foundation to provide a free wi-fi facility for use within the community. Cisco provides the hardware and licenses, and we undertake the engagement, training, and permanent installation with the community to determine the usage norms, configuration and device deployment.
- reTOOL is our practice of providing ongoing paid-placements, co-op and volunteer opportunities at our bricks and mortar locations in Vancouver, Toronto, and Peterborough and to some extent remotely at satellite locations leveraging live streaming apps like Microsoft Teams.
Join Us to Boost Digital Equity
Supporting reBOOT Canada is simple: we need your computers, monitors, gently used keyboards and mice.
If you live in Vancouver, the GTA or Peterborough you can drop them off at one of our locations. If you are responsible for IT equipment at your work, we can arrange to pick it up virtually anywhere in the country. Some fees may apply.
In-kind donations of devices will be assessed, and fair market value will be recognized in a tax receipt (CRA# 89111 4043 RR0001).
The process starts by completing the form on our donate page and following the prompts.
If at the moment you do not have computers to donate, please consider supporting fellow Canadians with a cash donation through our Canada Helps profile page.
Latest News
2023 Year in Review
reBOOT Canada End-of-Year Review – Movement, Growth, and Impact
2023 Holiday Hours
reBOOT Canada will be open reduced hours over the holidays. Regular business hours resume Monday, January 8.
reBOOT Canada Offices Closed for Canada Day 2023
Our reBoot Canada offices in Toronto, Peterborough and Vancouver will be closed on Monday July 3rd in honour...