Sustainability in health care goes beyond reducing waste—it includes fostering equity and community resilience. Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) recently demonstrated this by repurposing abandoned bicycles for refugee claimants, turning a logistical challenge into a meaningful solution.
Transforming a Problem into an Opportunity
For years, unclaimed bicycles accumulated in the VGH Cycling Centre with no clear disposal or donation pathway. Traditional options, such as auctions, weren’t ideal, and existing donation programs wouldn’t accept them. Meanwhile, Kinbrace Community Society—an organization that supports refugee claimants with transitional housing —needed bicycles to help residents regain mobility and independence.
Julie Morey, a project manager at UBC Faculty of Medicine and long-time member of the VGH Cycling Centre, saw the potential impact. Understanding that a bike could significantly improve a refugee’s ability to attend medical appointments, shop for groceries, and integrate into the community, she collaborated with VGH Transportation Services—led by Baljit Bassi, Angelo Longo, and Kevin Shiu—to facilitate the donation of five abandoned bicycles and a bike rack to Kinbrace.
Sustainable Impact: Mobility and Independence
For Kinbrace residents, bicycles mean more than just transportation—they provide autonomy and access.
Thank you for providing us with the bicycle. The bike has helped reduce my transportation costs. Every day, I attend language classes and join friends to play volleyball, and I use the bike to travel to these nearby locations, which I truly enjoy. I appreciate your support,” says a young man living at Kinbrace during his transition from Afghanistan to life in Canada.
While the organization often receives children’s bike donations, adult bicycles are in high demand. Having access to a bike helps newcomers manage their daily responsibilities with greater ease, reducing reliance on public transit and fostering a sense of belonging.
This initiative exemplifies a win-win approach: reducing waste, repurposing resources, and directly benefiting underserved populations. With the success of this initial donation, VGH Transportation Services now plans to continue providing abandoned bicycles to Kinbrace, ensuring long-term impact.
Health Care’s Expanding Role in Sustainability
Health-care institutions have a unique opportunity to drive sustainability beyond clinical care. By repurposing resources and supporting vulnerable populations, they contribute to both environmental responsibility and social equity. This bike donation initiative is a small but powerful example of how health-care organizations can turn surplus into support—one bicycle at a time.
