Government Surplus Items Keep On Working

More than $1.6 million was returned to the provincial treasury in 2007-08 through the province's annual disposal of surplus Crown property.

The province's Surplus Crown Property Disposal Report was tabled today, Nov. 14, in the legislature. It outlines how surplus materials were disposed of during the 2007-08 fiscal year.

"We make sure we get our money's worth out of every item," said Murray Scott, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. "After equipment has been well used by us, we then do our best to make sure it stays out of landfills."

The Computers for Schools Program, a partnership that keeps older computers working, is the main beneficiary of used government equipment. Through the program, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of used computer equipment continues to be used. The province is the second largest donor to the program.

The list of donated equipment this year includes 2,615 computer CPUs and 307 laptops, plus hundreds of pieces of assorted equipment such as keyboards, monitors, printers, drives, docking stations, speakers and computer mice. The equipment will be refurbished and put into schools throughout Nova Scotia.

"The computer world is one of rapid updating, and changing standards make this equipment unsuitable for government," said Mr. Scott. "This program started in 1994 and has provided schools with useful computer gear."

In addition, a wide range of additional surplus equipment such as chairs, tables, desks and filing cabinets are donated by request to non-profit and community groups. Among these donated items were 52 GPS units formerly used by Emergency Health Services that were turned over to the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association.

The report provides details of such donations and also outlines the $1,738,781.43 in gross revenue raised by surplus sales. The sale of surplus land ($1,338,052.85) was the largest revenue generator, followed by the department's annual auction of heavy equipment ($277,950), the five public auctions held at the department warehouses in Sydney and Dartmouth ($84,439.38) and sales through tender for items that required on-site removal ($38,339.20).

Surplus items are distributed under the authority of the Surplus Crown Property Disposal Act. All profits are used to help pay down the provincial debt.

The full report is available on the Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal website at www.gov.ns.ca/tran/govservices/govIC.asp .