CANADA, May 12 - Government recently presented The Reach Foundation with a donation of $25,000 to assist them in setting up a bicycle refurbishing and recycling program. 

The Reach Foundation is a safe, stigma free environment for youth who are transitioning from mental health and addiction treatment to recovery and reintegration into the community. The Reach Foundation will use their existing network to ensure the refurbished bikes are given to youth to enjoy and utilize both as a mode of transportation and for overall wellness.

The Charlottetown City Police also donated 40 bikes from their inventory to help get the program started. These bikes would normally go to auction but have been in storage due to the pandemic. Proceeds from the Police Bike Auction support the Healthy Me program that is offered to all grade six classrooms in the Charlottetown area and was designed by the Police Service, alongside Student Services and the Department of Education. Government is donating $2,000 to the Healthy Me program to ensure it still receives the support it deserves without the auction.

“It is always a pleasure to help a community group provide more services to those they assist. Bikes are such a great way for all Islanders, especially youth, to get active and get around cost and emission-free. I would like to thank MLA Gord McNeilly for bringing this idea to the Department and to the Charlottetown City Police for their generous donation of 40 bikes.” 

- Steven Myers, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action.

“I am delighted that our provincial government is finding creative solutions to refurbishing bicycles in our community,” said MLA Gord McNeilly. “Many can’t afford to buy a bicycle, and this is a great recycling program that will bring a lot of excitement, as people get out on the active transportation trails, get healthy and help the environment at the same time. The Reach Foundation is the perfect partner to help ground this positive program that will allow our Island to be a cycling community and destination for years to come.”

“Physical activity is so important to improving your mental health and biking is a great way to keep active while you get around the community,” said Dean Constable, Executive Director of PEI Reach Foundation. “Reach is excited that this program will give people access to bicycles, bring new life to previously loved bikes, and build new skills for youth in recovery for mental health and addictions.” 

Staff from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will transport the bikes to The Reach Foundation as well as help ensure they get to their new owners. 

Media contact: Jill Edwards Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action jedwards@gov.pe.ca