News release

Government Surplus Items Keep On Working

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (Oct. 2007 - Feb. 2021)

Nova Scotia's Computers for Schools Program is the chief beneficiary of the provincial government's surplus disposal program.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of used computer equipment was refurbished and put into schools in the last fiscal year, including 1,073 desktop computers, 587 keyboards, 395 monitors and 176 laptops.

This information is in the Surplus Crown Property Disposal Report tabled today, Oct. 21, in the House of Assembly. It outlines the sale of surplus materials during the 2013-14 fiscal year.

Surplus materials also go to non-profit and community groups that apply for donations. The report lists thousands of items such as chairs, tables, desks, filing cabinets, and who received them. Items were given to 46 different non-profit organizations.

The program also generates revenue by selling surplus items. Surplus land was the money generator, bringing in more than $1.2-million. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal's public auctions brought in $228,962. All profits -- $1,458,510 in 2013-14 -- are put toward the province's bottom line.

Surplus items are distributed under the Surplus Crown Property Disposal Act. The nine categories listed in the report are:

  • real property, such as land and/or buildings
  • items sold at public auction
  • items sold through public tender
  • items donated to non-profit, non-government agencies
  • scrap waste
  • material sent for recycling
  • computer equipment for the Computer for Schools program
  • surplus equipment used in school renovations and construction
  • equipment transferred to public school boards

The full report is available at http://novascotia.ca/tran/publications/SCPDR.pdf .