The annual Northwestel telephone directory recycling program has expanded to include schools in British Columbia and more Yukon schools than ever before.

For the first time, two B.C. schools, in Fort Nelson and Dease Lake, are taking part in the program, which rewards schools for collecting old Northwestel directories for recycling. Four new Yukon community schools are also participating: Kluane Lake School in Destruction Bay, Nelnah Bessie John School in Beaver Creek, Ross River School and Tantalus School in Carmacks. A total of 25 schools are taking part in the 2009 program, including the two B.C. schools, 11 Whitehorse schools and 12 schools in other Yukon communities.

The program is now in its eighth year. Participating schools are rewarded with cash contributions for school activities and programs. This year’s Yukon and northern B.C. program began on May 1st, in conjunction with the release of the 2009 northern British Columbia and Yukon phone directory. It continues until May 29th. Students, teachers and support staff may obtain the directories from family, friends, neighbours, businesses and government offices, and bring them to collection boxes at the schools.

“We are very pleased to see more schools join the recycling program every year,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director Communications. “It’s so encouraging to see such commitment and enthusiasm for the program from students, parents, teachers and other members of the community. Northwestel welcomes the opportunity to support school activities and to help build awareness of environmental issues amongst northern students.”

Under a partnership arrangement, Northwestel provides the boxes for directory collection at the schools, the City of Whitehorse coordinates the pickup of the directories from all Whitehorse schools, and Northwest Transport, part of the Manitoulin Group, ships them from Whitehorse to the recycling centre in Edmonton. Most participating schools outside of Whitehorse bring their directories to a drop-off point in Whitehorse. In the case of Dease Lake, the directories will be shipped to Smithers, B.C. for recycling, with the assistance of Bandstra Transportation Systems Limited, based in Smithers.

The Whitehorse schools participating in the program this year are: Christ the King, Elijah Smith, Emilie Tremblay, Grey Mountain, Hidden Valley, Holy Family, Jack Hulland, Selkirk, Takhini, Vanier Catholic Secondary and Whitehorse Elementary School. In addition, 12 Yukon community schools are participating: Del Van Gorder in Faro, Ghùch Tlâ Community School in Carcross, Golden Horn Elementary in Mount Lorne, J.V. Clark School in Mayo, Kluane Lake School in Destruction Bay, Nelnah Bessie John School in Beaver Creek, Robert Service School in Dawson City, Ross River School, St. Elias Community School in Haines Junction, Tantalus School in Carmacks, Teslin School and Watson Lake Secondary School. The two B.C. schools are G.W. Carlson Elementary in Fort Nelson and Dease Lake School.

Last year, nineteen Yukon schools collected more than 6600 old directories and raised approximately $12,000.00.

There are three levels of recognition in the 2009 Northwestel Directory Recycling Program. Schools earn $200 for meeting a target of one directory per student, $500 for 1.25 directories per student and $750 for 2 or more directories per student. Northwestel also provides a smaller cash award of $100.00 for participating schools which do not meet the minimum requirements of the program, to encourage schools for their efforts, even when circumstances prevent them from meeting requirements for the main cash awards.

Northwestel publishes 42,000 Yukon and northern British Columbia directories each year, in addition to 38,000 directories in the N.W.T., where the program is also offered.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions and entertainment services in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.