A success for the solidarity cooperative Les Valoristes

In the presence of its partners, the waste pickers’ solidarity cooperative Les Valoristes unveiled at the Caisse d’économie solidaire Desjardins the bottom line of its recyclable containers temporary depot installed this summer under the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, at the corner of Maisonneuve and De Lorimier streets. The operating principle was simple: the cooperative welcomed at the depot, no matter the quantity or quality of the containers brought, anyone bringing recyclable containers in exchange for cash. Although the main users of the deposit were the “valoristes” (waste pickers), happy to be welcomed without prejudice, the Les Valoristes cooperative was pleasantly surprised to see that ordinary citizens, both men and women, as well as institutions, businesses and industries were also taking advantage of the service it offered. In just two and half months of operation, the cooperative has managed to collect nearly 310,000 returnable containers of glass, metal, and plastic, returning more than $25,000 to the community. With 2,400 visits, the depot set up by the Les Valoristes is an undeniable success. Read the complete article (in French).