What is the VTL?

What is the VTL?

The Vancouver Tool Library (VTL) is a cooperative tool lending library in East Vancouver. We are located at 3448 Commercial Street. We acknowledge that our shop is on unceded Coast Salish Territory.

The VTL is a collective community resource, run by its members for its members. We are motivated by a vision of our community empowered by the tools and skills needed to live creatively, make art, and transform homes and neighbourhoods into vibrant spaces that reflect a commitment to sustainability. We are dedicated to taking a proactive and responsive approach to managing our organization, and adhering to the values of inclusivity, empowerment, community building, member participation, and sustainability in all that we do. Our space is open to people of all identities, backgrounds, abilities, and skill sets. We pride ourselves in providing the resources and learning opportunities to make tool use accessible to everyone.

Our governance structure

The VTL is a Community Service Co-operative registered under the BC Co-operative Act. Co-ops, as defined by the International Co-operative Alliance, are

autonomous associations of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprises.

Our choice to build the VTL on a cooperative model is based upon our strong belief in local community ownership. We see this structure as a way to empower and educate our members, as well as tie our organizations’ success to the commitment of its community. As a Community Service Co-op, we are bound to operating under non-profit practices.