A Repair Café is a community event to learn how to stop throwing away objects without trying to repair them!
The majority of Repair Café Montréal repair workshops take place at:
6450 Avenue Christophe-Colomb (corner of Beaubien) in Montreal (map).
Please note! We are not open every day, but only during our events (see the "Agenda" page). Please do not leave any items at the entrance.
See the FAQ below which will give you all the information about the Repair Café.
You can also consult the RESOURCES page which contains links to other sites or organizations dedicated to repair
Not all Repair Cafés have a team of volunteers able to repair all the types of items listed below. If you want to be sure there will be a skilled repairer for your item, you can contact the organizers of the Repair Café you plan to attend. Here are, as a guideline, the types of items we usually repair:
Accepted:
-Small electrical appliances: hair dryers, food processors, blenders, toasters
-Small electronic devices: video game consoles, radios, alarm clocks
-Miscellaneous: coffee machines, toys, lamps, chairs, glued objects
-Sewing: torn pockets, undone seams, missing buttons, hems, and other minor repairs on sweaters, shirts, dresses, jeans, etc. Please note: Clothes must be washed beforehand out of respect for our sewing volunteers!
Not accepted:
-Computers: desktops, laptops, printers, smartphones
-Other appliances: microwave ovens, TVs, and devices that have short-circuited or emitted smoke
-Bicycles
-Bulky items such as large household appliances
Before heading to the Repair Café, we recommend doing a few checks and reviewing the Repair Café rules. This will make your visit more enjoyable and increase your chances of getting your item repaired!
• Turn your device off and then back on, and try it again.
• Plug your device into a different outlet and try again.
• Check the power supply: batteries, power cords, coffee capsules if required, etc.
• Search online for videos describing problems similar to yours (use your model name and issue as keywords) to find possible solutions.
• Make sure your item is no longer under warranty. Most items have a 2-year warranty from the purchase date, sometimes longer. Note that simply opening or disassembling your item can void the warranty.
• Check if your device has been properly maintained: has your vacuum cleaner’s filter been emptied? Has your coffee machine been descaled? If you identify a faulty part, try to find a replacement, since Repair Cafés do not keep stock. Specialist shops like Addison Electronics (for electronics), sewing shops, shoe repair shops, and bike stores often sell spare parts. Check our Repair Resources tab to find the right places!
Feel free to explore sites like How-to-Repair, iFixit, or support forums—they can offer valuable info on common issues and fixes.
If you’ve done all these checks and still can’t find the problem or don’t know how to fix it yourself, come visit a Repair Café!
Don’t forget to bring any external parts needed to operate your device (charger, bulb, cable, etc.)
For clothing repairs, please wash your items before the event out of respect for our sewing volunteers!
Before coming, please bring with you:
• All accessories for the item to be repaired (power supply, charger, installation CD, user manual, etc.)
• Anything needed to check if the item is working after repair (CD, video cassette, light bulb, etc.)
• A replacement part if you have already identified a defective piece (Repair Cafés do not keep spare parts in stock)
When you arrive, you will need to register at reception and fill out a registration form, and receive a visit number. To ensure everyone has a chance to get their item repaired, each person may register only one item at a time. By registering, you acknowledge that you have read and accepted the Repair Café’s terms and conditions.
As soon as a repairer is available, you’ll be invited to sit with them. The repair is done together — you’ll be encouraged to participate in certain steps, depending on what you feel interested in and capable of doing.
At the end of the repair, your repairer will note on the registration form whether the repair was successful or not. These statistics help us advocate to policymakers and manufacturers and inform citizens about which brands and models are easier to repair.
Photos are sometimes taken during Repair Café events, which may attract journalists, bloggers, etc. Visitors may therefore be photographed or filmed during the event.
The photos we take are primarily used on this website.
Repair Cafés are citizen initiatives run by and for citizens.
They are not supported by any political party or economic group but may accept assistance that helps their operation and development.
Would you like to join a Repair Café and lend a hand as a volunteer?
Contact us with the following information:
• The help you can offer (organization, reception, repair, etc.)
• Your city
• Your contact details
You can also make a donation to the Repair Café you visit. The funds raised help organizers cover costs such as event organization, volunteer catering, purchasing materials and tools, and more. You can also support us by sharing our information and activities with those around you!
Everyone! The Repair Café is open to everyone, because beyond just a place to co-repair, it's also a friendly place to meet people, learn, and share knowledge.
A Repair Café relies entirely on volunteers and covers its organizational and operational costs through voluntary contributions from visitors. At the end of your repair, you will be invited to make a donation in the collection boxes provided. It’s up to you to decide the amount you wish to give, based on your means, the repair performed, and your satisfaction.
We cannot guarantee any repairs; it depends on the diagnosis made during the Repair Café session. Volunteers are amateur repairers and may vary from one session to another. Additionally, each volunteer has their own area of expertise. In practice, most items brought in are generally repaired (about 60%).
If you want to be sure a repairer will be able to fix your item, we recommend contacting the organizers of the Repair Café you plan to attend beforehand.
No, visitors are invited to the repair tables in order of arrival. Since the lines can sometimes get long for certain workshops, the team may stop registrations earlier than the official closing time to ensure all ongoing repairs are finished within the session. Be sure to arrive at the start of the session if you want your item to be examined on time.
In accordance with the rules and due to the popularity of Repair Cafés, and to be fair to all visitors, each visitor may register one item at a time. However, after your item has been repaired, you’re welcome to get back in line to register another item.