Only the lightweight standard manual wheelchairs are eligible for the pilot project.

Chair characteristics: The chairs are of lighter weight than the standard category.  There may be some axle adjustment, for example horizontal movement or positions, but the chair is limited in terms of camber angle, vertical adjustment and corresponding caster housing adjustments. 

The lightweight standard manual wheelchairs may be returned to any Canadian Red Cross branch office in Ontario.  To find the branch nearest you, visit www.redcross.ca or call the Canadian Red Cross at 1 855-255-9156.

A tax credit for the value of the lightweight standard manual wheelchair will be made available to anyone who returns this model of wheelchair to the Canadian Red Cross.  For wheelchairs funded in part by ADP, the value will be based on the owner’s portion of the original cost (25%) minus depreciation, which is determined through an established valuation process.  A receipt for the wheelchair will be provided at the point of drop-off and an official tax receipt will follow by mail within four to six weeks.

Lightweight standard manual wheelchairs returned without the original purchase receipt will be subject to an investigative process.  Every effort will be made to establish the original cost of the equipment by consulting with manufacturers of that equipment and then identifying the percentage of that cost that the consumer would have originally paid.  Consumers donating the wheelchair without the original receipt will be mailed their in-kind donation receipt at a later date.

At this time the pilot project between the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Canadian Red Cross only includes the lightweight standard manual wheelchair.  Red Cross would consider accepting donations of other types of equipment on an individual basis driven by age and condition of equipment as well as the need for that piece of equipment in our Red Cross inventory.  To inquire about the need for other types of equipment, contact your local Canadian Red Cross branch office.

For this pilot project, lightweight standard manual wheelchairs will be received by the Canadian Red Cross and then examined to determine if it will be refurbished for re-use or recycled.  If the piece of equipment is deemed not suitable for re-use it will be dismantled and its parts recycled. Refurbished lightweight standard manual wheelchairs will be placed in the Canadian Red Cross’s Home Equipment Loan Program (HELP).  If you are interested in renting a recycled lightweight standard manual wheelchair, contact the Red Cross, Hamilton Region at 1-855-255-9156.

Lightweight standard manual wheelchairs donated to the Canadian Red Cross will undergo inspection by trained, qualified staff to determine if the equipment can be safely refurbished for re-use in Hamilton.  Only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts will be used on the refurbished equipment.

The project will provide Ontarians with greater options:

• They will be able to dispose their used lightweight standard manual wheelchairs in an environmentally friendly way.
• Refurbished wheelchairs will be available for rent, providing a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new wheelchair.
• Those not eligible for ADP funding will be able to rent a recycled lightweight standard manual wheelchair.

The Canadian Red Cross Health Equipment Loan Program offers an affordable and effective solution for Ontarians seeking short-term use of assistive devices.  Extending the life of these wheelchairs through a refurbishing/recycling program will prolong their usefulness and divert them from landfills, reducing the environmental impact.

For more information about the Wheelchair Recycling Pilot Project or the Health Equipment Loan Program, contact the Canadian Red Cross at 1- 855-255-9156.