ICBC and BC Transplant partnership helps increase organ donation registrations by 15%

March 28, 2018

More than 125,000 customers registered their decision on organ donation in the year since ICBC driver licensing employees across B.C. began asking customers to register their decision on organ donation with BC Transplant.

"We're really pleased with the overwhelming support for organ donation and that we're able to make it easy for our customers to register their decision," said Nicolas Jimenez, ICBC's interim president and CEO. "These conversations at our driver licensing locations will save lives."

You only need to register once in a lifetime but a decal on your driver's licence is no longer enough to ensure you're registered as an organ donor. You can register your wishes online at transplant.bc.ca or at ICBC driver licensing offices across the province.

"Our partnership with ICBC has led to more conversations about organ donation in our communities, and now more than ever, British Columbians are registering their wishes for organ donation," said Leanne Appleton, BC Transplant's provincial executive director. "Thanks to these decisions and the life-saving gifts of organ donors and their families, a record 479 people received a transplant in 2017."

An earlier pilot in four ICBC locations indicated the value of having these conversations so the program was expanded to all ICBC driver licensing locations across the province. Based on the phenomenal success of the program, ICBC employees will continue asking customers to register their decision.

British Columbians and their families are increasingly making a generous decision for organ donation. In 2017, the life-saving gifts of 97 living donors and a record 121 deceased donors gave a second chance at life to 479 British Columbians suffering from organ failure.

More than 1.2 million people have registered their decision in the BC Organ Donor Registry. All British Columbians are encouraged to register their own decision about organ donation, and share their wishes with their family.

Media contacts:

Tanya College, BC Transplant, 604-877-2146

Lindsay Olsen, ICBC, 604-839-5650