Author: Marta Nowinska

COLLABORATIVE PIONEER INTERVIEW WITH DARCY CRUWYS, FOUNDER OF SWAPMAMAS

Swapmamas is a one-of-a-kind social community for moms to swap or gift unwanted items. The website is all about helping one another, Mama to Mama. Marta Nowinska had a chat with Darcy to get the latest scoop on Swapmamas. The easiest way to explain Swapmamas is … Swapmamas is a free online community for moms who…  Read more

Rise of the Barter Economy in Toronto

With the Canadian debt-to-income ratio hitting a record high of 163% and average consumer debt of $27,000, it’s no surprise that more Canadians are utilising barter—a 12 billion dollar industry in North America. The Toronto barter scene, for example, is buzzing as swappers exchange everything under the sun: financial consultations for hotel stays, photography for…  Read more

Torontonians Tap into Tool Sharing

Have you heard about Toronto’s new library? Unlike most of the city’s community libraries, there is no fear of getting shushed for talking here because instead of lending out books this one offers patrons a massive selection of tools to choose from. Retailing anywhere from $68 to $800, most tools are fairly expensive to own…  Read more

Is Swapping the New Shopping for Canadians?

It’s not often that a metropolitan city gets to experience Collaborative Consumption in the epicentre of its most famous intersection. Yet, for the last three years, Torontonians have been able to take part in a massive community swap at Yonge-Dundas Square—equivalent to New York’s Times Square—where they can “shop” without spending a dime. The swap…  Read more