Regina non-profit fogging up businesses to help keep community clean
This is a feature in the Good News Saskatchewan series. You can see all the stories at cbc.ca/lovesk.
A business initiative is keeping businesses clean, teaching youth new skills and helping fund programs for vulnerable youth in Regina.
Street Culture Project is a Regina-based non-profit charitable organization that operates group homes and works with vulnerable youth in group programs, work opportunities and one-on-one mentorship.
When the pandemic started, many of its programs were put on pause, but one new one started up. Now young adults are working to help sanitize businesses and gyms with a special fog, partially to keep the spaces safe from the novel coronavirus.
"We've gone countless places," Dakota Courtney said. "Every kind."
Courtney started as a youth using some of Street Culture Project's programs. He's since worked his way up to being a 20-year-old shop manager on the sanitation team.
Courtney said at first he was hesitant to be on a cleaning crew because he thought it would be hours of wiping down rooms and equipment. Instead, it turned out to be pretty easy, he said.
It takes about five to 10 minutes to fog a regular size room, he said.
"Most [businesses], they're surprised it takes so little," Courtney said. "They think it'll be like a whole day … and then I think I feel like they feel like a lot safer entering their business."
Street Culture Project first heard about the sanitation spray when their own facilities were being cleaned, including their emergency shelter. ReThink Bioclean used the spray in the homes and sparked the idea.
The company "fogged our shelter and it just seemed like 'Hey this is something we can definitely do ourselves,'" Braden McKay, director of strategy, said. "So they came in and did some training with our guys, provided us with the product and we were able to kind of offer that service to the community."
McKay said the fog lands on everything in the room and acts as a sanitizer to remove germs and any virus particles. He said they realized a number of other community partners were in a similar spot, wanting to sanitize their places completely.
"The product we have is a non-bleach, hospital grade, Health Canada approved product," he said. "It's something that kind of gives your business owners and your customers peace of mind."
Street Culture Project members clean some places weekly, such as Rebellion Tap Room. The service is a part of the workplace, health and mentorship program that gives project members paid work experience, McKay said.
"So just giving them the ability to earn an income and learn some skills when usually they would have a difficult time getting through the door to get a job to get the interview. That kind of thing," McKay said.
The work skills also transfer to real life lessons now that Canada is heading into the post-pandemic new normal.
"Especially with the disinfecting service, just hygiene and the cleanliness and sanitation, all those things are vital just to be able to function in society now," McKay said.
Street Culture Project is going to continue the service for as long as it's needed and is taking new clients, McKay said. People can contact them by phoning Street Culture Project.
