Oakville residents now have another way to keep reusable goods out of landfills through REmarket, a community donation event that made its local debut this September.
Supported by the Town of Oakville and the Bronte Business Improvement Association, the inaugural Oakville REmarket was held on September 19 and collected 1,000 pounds of housewares, clothing, books and linens from more than 200 donors. All items were donated to The Salvation Army Thrift Store.
“I think that the way we live right now is not sustainable, and it breaks my heart,” said Ariel Ng, lead organizer for Oakville REmarket. “It resonates with my values of buying less and recycling what you can. Even with this one event, you can see the impact.”
The event's success has inspired organizers to make REmarket an annual September initiative, with plans to grow the volume of donated goods collected through The Salvation Army Thrift Store each year.
“I don't think we could have done it without the support of The Salvation Army,” Ariel said. “We wouldn't have been able to handle that level of donations. As soon as I knew The Salvation Army was going to be a part of our event, I was confident we could pull it off.”
While Oakville hosted its first REmarket event this year, the concept has strong roots in Toronto. Oakville’s six-member volunteer committee drew inspiration and guidance from the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association Waste Reduction Group (SNLA WRG), which has partnered with The Salvation Army Thrift Store since launching its first REmarket event in 2020.
One of the Toronto group’s founders, Bruno Leps, provided mentorship and support as Oakville prepared for its inaugural campaign.
“From our perspective, this first Oakville event was a great success, with the support of the Bronte BIA and the Town of Oakville, the enthusiastic participation of partners and residents, and their shared desire to build on this momentum,” Bruno said.
“Our work is grounded in the belief that meaningful, lasting change in consumption habits must be driven from within the community. While event statistics are valuable, the true measure of success is the impact these events have on everyday behaviours.”
That philosophy has helped Toronto’s REmarket grow significantly. Since 2020, the St. Lawrence group has hosted 16 events and now runs three two-day collection events annually, collecting approximately 45,000 pounds of donated goods for The Salvation Army Thrift Store and other recycling partners.
Beyond diverting usable goods from landfills, these donations help fund life-changing Salvation Army programs and services through the sale of goods in our thrift stores.
“We don't want something thrown out that can still be used,” Bruno said. “What you do with your thrift stores is critical. It’s fair to say that the working relationship with you folks is vital.”
A heartfelt thank you to the organizers of both the Toronto and Oakville REmarket events for including The Salvation Army Thrift Store as a committed partner in environmental stewardship. Together, we are reducing waste, giving quality items a second life, and promoting reuse and recycling in our communities.
To learn how donated clothing and household goods support communities across Canada, please visit our donations page.