Repair Café North Saanich: Repairing More Than Just Things

by Michelle Clement

Every third Saturday in the month (except December), Deep Cove Elementary opens their door to welcome neighbours carrying lamps that won’t switch on, sweaters missing buttons, wobbly bikes, laptops that run just a bit too slow, broken toys, Blundstones that need a second life, knives that are dull, jewellery with a broken clasp, and, occasionally, a mystery object missing all context. This is the Repair Café North Saanich—part workshop, part community hub, and entirely powered by local volunteers who believe in the simple magic of giving things a second life.

Photo of a smiling man holding a lamp in front of a sign that says "It's Fixed". — Happy lamp, with coffee

Launched in 2020, the Repair Café North Saanich just celebrated its 5-year anniversary and is one of over 2,500 cafés worldwide inspired by a vision of reducing waste, strengthening local resilience, and rebuilding the culture of repairing that once defined small communities. In North Saanich—where environmental stewardship, rural traditions, and neighbourliness go hand in hand—the Repair Café has found a natural home.

Each café brings together volunteer “fixers” with skills in sewing, small appliance repair, woodworking, bicycle maintenance, sharpening, technology troubleshooting, and more. Residents arrive with broken items; volunteers sit down with them to diagnose the issue, teach basic repair skills, and, when possible, fix the problem on the spot. The café works on a “pay-what-you-can” or donation basis, removing barriers and welcoming all ages and backgrounds. The monies collected are donated to other charities (after the cost of supplies) and to date, the Repair Cafe North Saanich has donated $13,000.

But beyond light switches restored and jackets mended, something deeper happens in the room. People talk. They ask questions. They share stories about where an item came from – a lamp inherited from a parent, a favourite toy belonging to a grandchild, a found item at a garage sale.

In a time when many household items are designed to be disposable, the Repair Café offers an antidote. It reconnects us to the idea that “broken” doesn’t mean “finished.” It gives residents a chance to slow down, learn, and feel part of something rooted and practical. It also diverts a surprising number of items from the landfill each month—everything from toasters to trousers. In 2025 alone, 1488 items were brought to the 12 cafes with an annual fix rate of 79%.

The café has also become a social gathering space—some people come simply to watch, chat, or enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a sweet while they wait. Young people learn from elders; neighbours meet for the first time; newcomers to North Saanich find a welcoming place to get involved. “Repairing” becomes a metaphor for connection.

As the Repair Café enters another year, organizers hope to expand workshop offerings branching out to Sidney (let us know if you know of a space that would host us!) and continue fostering community resilience through practical skill-sharing. Everyone is welcome—whether you have something that needs fixing, a skill to share, or simply curiosity about how things work.

The upcoming Repair Café North Saanich dates and details can be found here.