A free bicycle lending program located near a community hall in B.C.’s Similkameen region aims to make lives easier for migrant workers who don’t have a car and a Canadian driver’s licence.
Last week, the Lower Similkameen Community Services Society, a Keremeos-based nonprofit dedicated to services for newcomers and refugees, installed a rack near the Cawston Community Hall that can accommodate up to 20 bikes.
An accompanying sign, written in both English and Spanish, says in order to maintain funding for the program, bikes need to be returned in good condition.
The program is funded by the Vancouver-based settlement services agency MOSAIC. Each bike has a yellow sticker that indicates it is part of the lending program.
Seasonal workers in British Columbia mostly come from Mexico, Guatemala and other Latin American countries, which don’t have agreements with the Canadian government…
