Pay it forward

GCSurplus, a Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) program, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. It coordinates the transfer and public sale of surplus federal goods, helping to keep these assets out of landfills.

In 2020, GCSurplus added the GCDonate platform to its list of services, enabling donations to eligible groups when transfers to other federal departments or public sales are not possible or practical.

Items that have not been transferred or sold, or that have a low monetary value, can also be donated to eligible donor groups, such as charities and non-profit organizations, Indigenous groups, communities or institutions, and other levels of government.

When organizations register on GCDonate, they fill out a GCDonate registration form, and the GCDonate team verifies their eligibility before approving or denying the registration. The team mainly refers to the Canada Revenue Agency's list of charities. Every registrant on GCDonate has been vetted.

GCDonate provides federal departments with specialized services to assist in their donation efforts. Each department is responsible for deciding which method of divestment they want to go with (transfer, sale or donation). Eligible recipient groups and organizations have access to a designated platform to view and request surplus assets that are being donated by various government departments. "GCDonate extends the life of these assets, which are reused, and that's really good news for communities and the environment," says Josée Doucet, Senior Director of GCSurplus. Donated goods are typically picked up locally, in coordination with the department offering them.

Increased equity is another advantage of GCDonate. "By being able to centrally track all Government of Canada donations, we can ensure that items are distributed as fairly as possible to a range of diverse groups and, through them, to those they assist," explains Doucet.

Wide range of sources

The items available for donation vary widely, from furniture and binders to personal protective equipment and even food!

It may not be a widely known fact, but the Government of Canada produces food under its mandate to support the agriculture and agri-food sector. As part of its research and development initiatives, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) grows various crops across Canada, and sometimes, there's a surplus of certain crops. AAFC and GCDonate have been collaborating for several years to reduce food waste.

After researching options for the equitable distribution of the food, GCDonate decided to approach "Food Banks Canada, which had the proper supply chains and ability to manage perishable food easily and efficiently," says Doucet. "GCDonate played a crucial role in making the connections happen and selecting the channel, like Food Banks Canada, we would use to donate the food, in a safe manner," she adds. "This made it possible to get it out quickly to Canadians all over the country."

According to Doucet, GCDonate is continuing to grow and innovate. "We are exploring ways to expand food donations across other federal departments and agencies to further reduce food waste, support Canadians in need as well as continue promoting a greener economy," she notes.

GCDonate makes a difference

GCDonate has made significant positive impacts not only in supporting the Government of Canada's greening efforts, but also in helping Indigenous groups, charities, non-profit organizations and communities across Canada.

Through GCDonate and National Defence, WorkLink Employment Society was able to receive and redistribute the donation of 122 mattresses and 492 mattress protectors to Pacheedaht First Nation, Sooke Shelter Society and Threshold Housing Society. These donations provided comfortable and safe sleeping arrangements for hundreds of individuals and have improved living conditions for those in need.

GCDonate also teamed up with the Public Health Agency of Canada to donate surplus N95 masks for health and wildfire relief efforts across Canada. Thousands of surplus masks have been distributed to various First Nations and Indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, such as the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and the Boys and Girls Club of Yukon, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, to name a few. These donations have provided respiratory protection and relief to communities affected by wildfires.

Moreover, GCDonate has contributed to the safety of Canadians by donating 78 fire extinguishers to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services. This donation helped enhance training capabilities. Similarly, the Busby Volunteer Fire Department Society in Alberta received 60 fire extinguishers, boosting efforts to protect the community. These contributions help local fire departments in their training of the next generation of firefighters.

These are just some of the examples of how GCDonate is helping communities across the country. For further information on the services related to surplus federal goods, visit GCSurplus.

To learn more about PSPC employees, projects and services making a difference for Canadians, read other articles found on Our stories.

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