Graduate Research Traces Binners' Routes and Lives

Research by a University of Victoria geography graduate student has shed some light on the demographics and day-to-day lives of binners in Vancouver. Crystal Tremblay’s socio-economic study mapped out the routes of 10 binners she interviewed extensively in 2005 while doing field work at the United We Can bottle depot, a social enterprise in the Downtown Eastside. “I looked at their economic situation, how many hours a day they work, how far they’re travelling, the hierarchies within the community, whether they’re on welfare, and a few other factors,” she says, noting that some binners travel up to 20 or 30 kilometres each day. There is a social aspect to the binning community, she says. “Forming a group, like the binners’ association created through United We Can, can empower them and legitimize the activity.” Tremblay found that although the majority of binners were 45- to 56-year-old Caucasian men, a significant number of older Asian women were binning as well.

On Sept. 14, the Communities-based Research Laboratory, based in UVic’s geography department, and LifeCycles, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of sustainability issues in Victoria, are hosting a community mapping event at Centennial Square from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is part of a collaborative research project funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada and called “The Binning Community in Victoria: A Participatory Exploration for Livelihood Enhancement.”

“The community mapping event will be facilitated by a group of binners that has been involved in the project since May this year. We will be providing the opportunity to engage homeless people, residents, business owners, politicians and others to discuss strategies to overcome obstacles related to homelessness and resource recovery,” says Tremblay, who is one of the graduate students involved in the project.

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