Ville en Vert offers a tool-sharing service to residents
Since the start of the pandemic, many people have started to cook new, more ambitious recipes or have taken on bigger and more intricate home improvement projects. But a common issue that arises when taking on new challenges is the lack of the necessary tools to complete the job.
Ville en Vert, an environmental organization funded by the city, now offers a service that will try to address this all too common issue. L’outil-O-thèque is a tool-sharing initiative that allows residents to borough specific tools needed for short projects, all free of charge.
Tools range from various kitchen materials such as fondue pots, extra plates or baking supplies, to power tools like drills and circular saws necessary for heavy-duty construction jobs. It also offers all types of other items, ranging from sports materials and toys, to board games and media equipment.
“Outil-O-theque offers you an alternative to save money, to protect the environment and to learn together new ways of doing things,”
Environmental motivations
The program is available to residents of the Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Villeray-Saint-Michel- Parc-Extension boroughs and has the social vocation of serving low-income communities in these neighbourhoods.
The organization’s program is part of a larger movement around the sharing economy, by providing shared items and tools that if bought individually may only be used a handful of times.
Ville en Vert mentions the advantages of borrowing over buying as being both good for saving money, learning new skills, sharing resources and being more environmentally friendly.
“Outil-O-theque offers you an alternative to save money, to protect the environment and to learn new ways of doing things,” reads their website.
Workshops
Though the Outil-O-thèque, Ville en Vert also offers several workshops and repair classes, to teach people new skills and how to fix things instead of replacing them. These include bike repair classes as well as classes on repairing small appliances and clothes.
For example, they are offering free workshops in December at their Cartierville location on basic bicycle repair, how to use a sewing machine and a course on how to conserve and jar food.
Their seminars all have an environmental and money-saving tilt, showing people how they can learn the skills necessary to keep things working and give objects a second life, as well as minimizing unnecessary waste. A full schedule of these workshops and classes is available on l’Outil-O-thèque’s website.
How it works
Those who are interested in participating in the program can sign up to become a member on l’Outil-O-thèque’s website. Members can then browse the catalogue of items and reserve whatever they need for a pick-up.
Borrowers can then get their items at one of l’Outil-O-thèque’s two locations, at both L’Escale Verte in Cartierville or at La Maison du Citoyen in François Perreault. Objects can be borrowed for up to 7 days.
The program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and is supported by both the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension.
