Press Releases

15/06/2021

Computers for Success Canada (CFSC-OPEC) is grateful to Bell, an ongoing supporter of the Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program, for having joined the founding Canadian businesses of the recently launched CEO Pledge.

The CEO Pledge, a campaign initiated by Microsoft Canada, is a joint effort from some of Canada’s leading businesses to commit their used technology to the Government of Canada’s CFS+ program.

“By lending its voice to this important initiative and stating its commitment to the CFS+ program, Bell is helping bridge the digital divide in Canada,” said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director, CFSC-OPEC. “As a long-standing partner of the program, Bell has been an important contributor to its goal of providing at-risk Canadians with the tools and opportunities needed to participate in the digital economy.”

“Bell is proud of our longstanding support for the CFS+ program’s work to provide at-risk Canadians with the tools they need to take full advantage of broadband access to meet their education and personal development goals,” said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada. “We look forward to building on our partnership with CFS+ as we work to achieve Bell’s goal of advancing how Canadians connect with each other and the world.”

Since 1993, the CFS+ program has refurbished and redistributed over 1.7 million computers to schools, libraries, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, and eligible low-income families. The program also provides beneficial work experience to Canadian youth through paid internships. Interns help refurbish the used technology while acquiring essential digital skills.

“The past year has put an even greater emphasis on the importance of putting technology into the hands of Canadians in need, and we could not achieve this without the support of partners like Bell,” added Mr. Harper-Merrett.

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01/06/2021

Montreal, June 1, 2021 – Computers for Success Canada (CFSC-OPEC) is pleased to announce the launch of the CEO Pledge, a joint effort from some of Canada’s leading businesses, initiated by Microsoft Canada, to commit their used technology to the Government of Canada’s Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program.

“I would like to thank all of those who pledged to donate their organization’s end-of-cycle devices to Canada’s Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “The COVID-19 crisis has shown the importance of everyone being able to access the digital world. By donating to the CFS+ program, you are helping under-served communities access the Internet and acquire the skills and training needed to work in today’s digital economy.”

 “We are very grateful to Microsoft Canada for leading this initiative, and to all the organizations that have joined the initial phase of the CEO Pledge,” said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director, CFSC-OPEC. “Their contribution to the CFS+ program will help an even greater number of people in Canada get the tools and skills they need to participate in the digital economy. By committing your end-of-cycle computers to the CFS+ program, you are helping improve access to technology for Canadians at risk of digital exclusion.” 

Along with Microsoft, the founding organizations in the CEO Pledge include long-standing supporters Bell and TELUS, as well as new supporters Best Buy Canada, Enbridge Inc., Rogers Communications, Scotiabank, Staples, Sun Life and TD Bank Group.

“Technology partners choose the CFS+ program as a secure and sustainable solution for their used computers, contributing to environmental, youth employment, skills and economic development impacts”, added Toby Harper-Merrett.

“Microsoft believes that everyone should benefit from technology to learn, work and play. We initiated the CEO Pledge because we are committed to helping Canadians access the skills training and tools they need to succeed in the digital economy,” said Kevin Peesker, President, Microsoft Canada. “We’re pleased that so many leading organizations across industries are joining us on this journey and look forward to welcoming additional brands in the coming months.”

Since 1993, the CFS+ program has refurbished and redistributed over 1.7 million computers to schools, libraries, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and eligible low-income families. The program also provides beneficial work experience to Canadian youth through paid internships. Interns help refurbish the used technology while acquiring essential digital skills.

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19/11/2020

Computers for Success Canada (CFSC) is pleased to add the Courts Administration Service (CAS) as a partner providing their used technology to the Government of Canada’s Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program.

“Devices, connectivity and skills are key to the digital inclusion of all Canadians, said Toby            Harper-Merrett, Executive Director of CFSC-OPEC. CFS+ program affiliates across Canada are increasingly solicited by organizations needing refurbished computers to enable working and learning from home. The support of technology partners like CAS improves the program’s capacity to serve more and more Canadians and we are very thankful for their long-term commitment.”

Since 1993, the CFS+ program has refurbished and distributed more than 1.7 million computers to schools, non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, refugees and eligible low-income families.

Furthermore, the program extends the life of devices, providing significant environmental benefits compared to other disposal alternatives. The program also provides work experience to youth through the CFS+ Internships.  These interns help refurbish the donated technology while developing knowledge, skills and employment prospects.

“Managing electronic waste is a priority for CAS. We are excited about this new partnership with Computers for Success Canada, which not only allows us to support the CFS+ program across the country, but also to have a positive social impact on Canadian families and manage our electronic waste with the highest environmental and security standards,” said Daniel Carroll, Contracting and Material Management Agent at CAS.

About Computers for Schools Plus

Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) is a national partnership-based program that refurbishes digital devices from government, private business and individuals for use by schools, libraries, not-for profit organizations, Indigenous communities and eligible low-income individuals. The Government of Canada funds this program.

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06/10/2020

Computers for Success Canada (CFSC-OPEC) is pleased to provide up to 80 additional youth interns with practical work experience in libraries across Canada and communities across Nunavut and Yukon Territory. With funding from the Government of Canada, CFSC-OPEC is supporting the hiring of interns by Pinnguaq Association, Kids Code Jeunesse, Yukon Learn Society, and seven public libraries in major urban centres.

“We are grateful to these organizations for providing young people opportunities to gain experience and deliver digital support to their communities”, said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director of CFSC-OPEC, a not-for-profit organization established in 2005 to support the impacts of the Government of Canada’s digital inclusion and economic development programs.

“The past months have further demonstrated the importance of technology, connectivity and digital skills. The crisis has also had a significant impact on youth employment. We are confident this project will benefit not only the youth interns but thousands of Canadians at risk of digital exclusion. These CFS+ internships will enhance Canadians’ capacity to work with tools that have become critical in today’s society and economy.”

“Digital skills and work-integrated learning are key to the future success of innovation and jobs in Canada,” said The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “The Computers for Schools plus Intern program offers paid, practical work internships for young Canadians, through which they can develop advanced digital skills and experience in project management, teamwork, and communications. This experience will give graduates the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy and provide the highly skilled workforce that Canadian businesses are looking for.”

CFSC also provides ongoing Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) internships in support of the CFS+ program. Over the past 27 years, more than 7 000 CFS+ interns have been provided employment and training relevant to careers in technology, communications and other digital fields.

CFSC and the CFS+ Internship program provide youth the opportunity to develop the expertise and skills needed to actively participate in the digital economy. With a strong focus on hiring BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) to perform community outreach and support for digital technology use, youth interns under this extension of funding will bridge education and employment, developing and sharing their digital skills.

About Computers for Schools plus

Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) is a national partnership-based program that refurbishes digital devices from government, private business and individuals for use by schools, libraries, not-for profit organizations, Indigenous communities and eligible low-income individuals. This program is funded by the Government of Canada.

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01/10/2020

Computers for Success Canada (CFSC-OPEC) welcomes the support and expertise of two new Board members, Anne-Marie Mulumba (Director), and Mritunjay (MJ) Sinha (Treasurer).

“As an organization helping schools, not-for-profit organizations and individuals at risk of digital exclusion to adopt the technology, connectivity and skills they need to thrive in our society, CFSC-OPEC is pleased to welcome new members whose expertise reflects our values of inclusion and social responsibility,” said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director of CFSC-OPEC.

Anne-Marie Mulumba collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to inform digital product delivery. Her focus is to conduct research with francophones, people with disabilities, businesses and under-presented groups by building relationships with community organizations across the country to promote inclusion.

A social entrepreneur-operator and an investor, MJ Sinha has been working in impact and responsible investing for the last few years. He started with Grand Challenges Canada and thereafter helped deploy over C$30M through private-market impact investing and over C$100M through responsible investment strategies for several family offices, foundations, and other investors. His passion for social change is complemented by his experience in Capital Markets and Corporate Strategy.

“As a small Montreal-based organization, CFSC has demonstrated exceptional agility in supporting Government of Canada programs through close collaboration with private, public and not-for-profit partners in every province and territory,” said Darrell Liebrecht, Chair of CFSC-OPEC. “We strongly believe that the addition of Anne-Marie and MJ to our Board will help the organization further elevate its focus on inclusiveness while fulfilling its important mandate of supporting Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada digital inclusion and economic participation programs.”

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26/02/2020

Computers for Success Canada (CFSC-OPEC) is celebrating its 15th year anniversary this February. Since 2005, CFSC-OPEC has helped deliver Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) investments in digital inclusion and economic participation through the Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program, and initiatives including Welcome Refugees and Connecting Families.

“CFSC helps schools, not-for-profit organizations and individuals at risk of digital exclusion access the technology, connectivity and skills they need to thrive in our society. It’s with great pride that we mark this milestone anniversary,” said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director of CFSC-OPEC. “ISED’s multi-sector programs play an important role in sustaining the innovation culture so crucial to success in Canada’s digital economy.”

“Every Canadian deserves a fair and equal chance to participate in, and benefit from, the digital economy. That’s why our government continues to invest in programs like CFS+ so Canadians have the right tools to succeed,” said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “CFS+ is a true example of circular economy innovation: saving digital devices from landfills and giving them a second life. Congratulations to Computers for Success Canada on 15 years of advancing digital inclusion.”

Created in 1993, the Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program has provided millions of Canadians with resources and opportunities to build essential digital skills. Through the Welcome Refugees project, CFSC-OPEC and the CFS+ program affiliates delivered a computer for each family of the over 30,000 Syrian refugees arriving in Canada in 2016. More recently, the Connecting Families initiative, announced in Budget 2017, addresses affordability for over 1million low-income Canadian families by providing access to $10 monthly Internet, in partnership with leading Canadian Internet service providers.

“As a small Montreal-based organization, CFSC has demonstrated exceptional agility in supporting Government of Canada programs through close collaboration with private, public and not-for-profit partners in every province and territory,” said Darrell Liebrecht, Chair of CFSC-OPEC. “This four-member team has continuously demonstrated a focus on inclusive innovation while fulfilling its important mandate.”

“The intent behind the creation of CFSC in 2005 was to provide strategies to promote and grow the CFS+ program with support services at the national level,” said John May, one of the founders of CFSC-OPEC. “The CFS+ program, which has delivered over 1.7 million refurbished computers since 1993, has significantly benefited from CFSC’s support, not only in delivering the core program, but to the benefit of a broader population across Canada, including refugees and low-income families.”

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27/05/2019

Halifax, May 27, 2019 – Computers for Success Canada (CFSC-OPEC) is proud to be a multi-year Gold Level Supplier to the 25^th edition of the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) where Canada’s best skilled trade and technology students and apprentices will showcase their skills.

“CFSC, the CFS program and SkillsCompétences Canada (SCC) are aligned in their support of Canadian economic and social development. The CFS program’s intended impacts include opportunities for youth to develop the digital skills they need to contribute to Canadian economic development,” said CFSC-OPEC Executive Director, Toby Harper-Merrett.

“By providing technology, support and training, we will contribute not only to the Skills Canada National Competition but to CFS program objectives across Canada.”

Since 1993, the Government of Canada CFS program has refurbished and distributed over 1.6 million computers to schools, libraries, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and eligible low-income families. It has also given valuable work experience e to over 6000 youth through CFS Internships.

“CFS Nova Scotia is pleased to support the national competition by supplying computers on the competition floor, said Stacy Barnes of the CFS program in Nova Scotia. This demonstrates the reliability of the program to provide high quality refurbished computers not only to the competition but to organizations and individuals across Canada.”

For several years, CFS licensees have also supplied refurbished computers to SCC’s national competition.

“With the support from Computers for Success Canada, Skills Canada is able to help youth to develop the digital skills they need to position themselves in the job market as strong contributors in many diverse industry sectors.” said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada.

 

About the CFS program

Computers for Schools is a national program that refurbishes devices donated from government, private business and individuals for use by schools, libraries, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and eligible low-income individuals.

About CFSC-OPEC

Computers for Success – Canada Inc. | Ordinateurs pour l’excellence – Canada Inc. (CFSC-OPEC) is a not-for-profit organization, established in 2005, supporting the impacts of Government of Canada’s digital inclusion and economic development programs. CFSC-OPEC’s services stand in four pillars – marketing and communications, partnership development, strategic planning, and project management.

 

Contact

Julie Brouard

Manager, Communications & Partnerships

Computers for Success – Canada Inc.

julie.brouard@cfsc-opec.org

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08/05/2019

CFSC-OPEC is pleased to announce the launch of its newly re-designed website!  Https://cfsc-opec.org has been re-imagined to reflect the positive impacts that programs CFSC-OPEC supports have on communities and individuals across Canada.

Testimonials were obtained through a pan-Canadian video production conducted in 2018 to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the program. They are broad in scope, capturing the social, economic, and environmental impacts of Government of Canada programs and initiatives that CFSC helps deliver.

“I was overwhelmed. I thought they were joking, actually, when they said that this computer was for me, so I was feeling pretty grateful,” recalls Kayla, a program recipient.  “And I still use it — every day at work. I probably wouldn’t have my job if it weren’t for that computer”.

From the Computers for Schools (CFS) Internship Program, where youth gain valuable digital work experience, to the digital inclusion initiatives that have provided marginalized Canadians with computers for over 25 years, the new website illustrates the multiple benefits of technology donations when they are refurbished and redistributed.

“At CFSC-OPEC, we are confident in the impacts of the projects we support, thanks to the dedicated network of affiliate organizations in every province and territory,” said Toby-Harper-Merrett Executive Director of CFSC. “These benefits are felt in communities across Canada, every day.  We hope that our new website will enable others to share the powerful impacts these public investments have, and the value of donating used technology to the CFS program.”

Kate, from the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria reflects on how “the computers help ease the transition for newcomers and help them move forward in their resettlement. When we can say “here’s a computer” we’re really allowing them to function on a level our society is expecting. And it goes beyond that. It’s a symbol and a gesture that allows them to feel that ‘Yes. I am a Canadian.’”

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24/04/2019

CFSC-OPEC is proudly celebrating the ongoing Government of Canada Connecting Families initiative, made available to hundreds of thousands of low-income Canadians since November 2018.

Announced in Budget 2017, this initiative was conceived as a means of helping to make home Internet more affordable and bridging a digital divide that leaves 1.3 million Canadian families without a residential connection.

“CFSC-OPEC is very pleased to help deliver the Connecting Families initiative,” said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director of CFSC-OPEC. “With the help of corporate donors as well as the ongoing support of Internet Service Providers, Canadian families are benefitting from connectivity and opportunities for economic participation.”

“Many low-income families face financial barriers to getting online, such as the cost of purchasing a computer and the high cost of an Internet connection at home.  That’s why through this initiative our government is working with the telecom industry to ensure that all Canadians can benefit from the digital economy,” said Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

As of March 31 2019, 17,731 families had signed up with participating Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to access this $10 Internet plan. Several ISPs, including Bell Canada, Cogeco, Shaw Communications and TELUS are also supporting the initiative through technology donation agreements for refurbishment and redistribution by the Computers for Schools program across the country.

“As a long-standing partner of CFSC-OPEC, Bell is proud to help provide Canadian families with the tools they need to take advantage of broadband access for education, personal development and community engagement,” said Marc Duchesne, Vice President, Corporate Security and Responsibility at Bell. “Last year alone Bell donated more than 8,700 computers to the program and we’re pleased to see them used to empower even more Canadians.”

“Cogeco Connexion has been part of Québec’s and Ontario’s social, economic and cultural landscape for more than 60 years, contributing to their regional and economic development. Providing equal opportunities to children and families through digital inclusion is a priority for Cogeco as well as maintaining a positive and sustainable impact on the communities in which we offer our products and services.” said Ken Smithard, President of Cogeco Connexion.

“Connectivity is the fuel that powers our daily lives, and we understand how important it is for families to have internet access in the home,” said Sanae Takahashi, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Pricing & Packaging, Shaw Communications.  “We are pleased to support the effort of CFSC-OPEC to bring the Connecting Families Initiative to life and help give families across the country the greater opportunities and benefits of a connected life.”

“We know that technology is a great equalizer, but only if we all have access to it equally. Unequal access to technology is exacerbating the unacceptable social barriers facing many Canadians,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS. “The TELUS team is addressing these pressing social issues, making unprecedented investments in technology to bridge geographic and socio-economic divides and supporting more vibrant and sustainable communities. We are proud to support the Government of Canada’s Connecting Families initiative, modeled after TELUS’ Internet for Good initiative. We have seen the incredible benefits this program affords and we will continue to expand our Internet for Good program, alongside Connecting Families, to offer subsidized Internet access, as well as digital literacy training and TELUS Wise support, to more than 100,000 low-income families.”

Within the first months of the initiative, over 24,831 computers had been ordered. With this level of participation in the initiative, technology donations have become increasingly important, and CFSC is very grateful for the partnerships that were signed in the past year with new corporate donors such as McCain and the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

The positive response to this program is an indication of how meaningful digital inclusion efforts, like the Connecting Families initiative, are to families and the businesses that support them across Canada.

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15/04/2019

Computers for Success Canada (CFSC) is pleased to announce its new partnership with Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) to provide technology donations to the Government of Canada’s Computers for Schools (CFS) program.  Since its creation in 1993, the CFS program has refurbished and distributed over 1.6 million computers to Indigenous communities, schools, non-profit organizations, refugees, community organizations and Canadian families at risk of exclusion from our digitizing world.

This partnership reflects DFC’s intention to donate their used technology to the Computers for Schools program, ultimately supporting the program’s mandate to improve access to digital technology for potentially marginalized Canadians. This national donation partnership will also help support the Government of Canada’s Connecting Families initiative, which was launched in November 2018. This initiative offers low-income families access to home Internet service at a reduced cost of 10$ per month. Up to 50,000 free refurbished computers are also made available to eligible families.

“In committing to donate used technology, Dairy Farmers of Canada joins the many national brands that have donated technology in support of the inclusion of all Canadians in the digitizing economy,” said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director, CFSC-OPEC. “Furthermore, the program ensures computers are reused, providing significant environmental benefits compared to recycling, and the program provides technical work experience for youth interns across Canada.”

“Dairy Farmers of Canada is pleased to support causes that encourage community stewardship and innovation, because they are core values of our organization,” said Pierre Lampron, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada. “We are happy to partner with CFSC to fulfill the objectives of this initiative and to help empower its participants across Canada by giving them access to technology.”

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