ReuseTechBC & Strategic Natural Resource Group Partnership: Transforming Technology, Transforming Lives
A Collaboration to Bridge the Digital Divide
By Jeffrey Co, Information Technology & Systems Manager, Strategic Natural Resource Group
Opening: The Power of Second Chances
I’m excited to share the personal story behind Strategic Natural Resource Group’s computer donation initiativeand how it led to our partnership with ReuseTechBC.
I grew up in the Philippines in a working-class family, where technology felt out of reach. I still remember our first cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, playing games from 3.5 and 2.5 floppy disks, and the day my brother helped me build my first desktop computer. Those experiences shaped the course of my life, where today I am working in technology.
Even now, living in Canada, I know many families back home still face the same challenge. Recently, my sister asked if I could help my nephew get a computer for school. A basic $1,000 laptop can equal nearly three months of a minimum wage worker’s pay, leaving little or nothing for essentials like food and rent. That’s why many families still rent computers by the hour just to complete schoolwork, something my six siblings and I experienced ourselves.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to raise the hardware requirements for modern technology, the digital divide is growing rather than shrinking. For the families who need access most, the cost is becoming even harder to overcome.
Within my role as Information Technology & Systems Manager at Strategic, I recognized how often technology is replaced as systems reach end of life. When the Windows 10 retirement created a wave of outgoing devices, I seized an opportunity. With strong support from the Strategic Executive Team, we launched a computer donation initiative that turned a personal challenge from my past into practical action.
As the initiative expanded to our Prince George office, a coworker introduced me to ReuseTechBC. With 32 years of experience, strong community connections, and proven programs, they were far better positioned than we were to get technology into the hands of people who need it most. It was the right partnership to significantly increase our impact.
Our journey: From Vision to Impact
Since launching the initiative, our team has been repurposing retired computers into Chromebooks using Chrome FlexOS, giving older devices a practical second life. In September 2024, we donated nine computers to Campbell River Christian School, where the impact on students was immediate and meaningful. Felipe Hirata, previous Resource Lead at Strategic, also led a strong effort at the Sunset Elementary School in Port McNeill, helping deliver technology to students who needed it most.
We then connected with ReuseTechBC, which is a registered charity under BC Technology for Learning Society. What stood out was their long-standing impact: since 1995, they have redistributed more than 215,000 computers across British Columbia. They collect donated devices, provide youth with refurbishment training, and deliver technology to schools, non-profits, Indigenous communities, and low-income families throughout the province.
As a majority First Nation-owned company, Strategic Natural Resource Group sees a strong alignment between our values and ReuseTechBC’s work supporting Indigenous communities, friendship centers, and schools across BC. Their established network and infrastructure allow our donated technology to reach far more people than we could on our own, including communities we are proud to support.
This partnership combines our corporate resources with ReuseTechBC’s 32 years of expertise, youth training programs, and province-wide distribution network. Together, we are expanding donations, creating a repeatable model for responsible tech reuse, measuring social and environmental impact, and building programs that help close the digital divide. It reflects Strategic’s commitment to both sustainability and community impact.
Your Donations Matter.