Video: GCSurplus, not your average warehouse
GCSurplus is the Government of Canada’s organization responsible for selling surplus goods. Learn how Canadians can use the online auction website to buy slightly used items at a great price, which saves money and helps the environment.
Transcript: GCSurplus, not your average warehouse
Start of video
[Music plays]
[Text on screen: Public Services and Procurement Canada]
[Images of a warehouse and Katherine working]
[Text on screen: Making Better Possible]
[Katherine speaking]
[Text on screen: Katherine Pilon, Storeperson, GCSurplus Sales Centre, Public Services and Procurement Canada]
Working here is like working in a store, like it's the same concept. We receive stuff, we make an inventory, we put it on a site to sell it, then people come and pick it up.
So it's basically…
Amazon!
But GCSurplus!
[Katherine and Phil laughing]
[Phil speaking]
[Text on screen: Phil Levesque, Storeperson, GCSurplus Sales Centre, Public Services and Procurement Canada]
GCSurplus was created in the early 40s. It was created to sell the military surplus, like scrap metal and properties, and it evolved eventually to what it is today, where all government surplus is sold through GCSurplus.
[Shots of metal objects, keys and boxes, Katherine driving a forklift]
All the things come from over a hundred government departments and agencies. And for a normal Canadian to buy on GCSurplus, basically they just need to go to the website and register, and once they’ve done that, they can start bidding.
[Phil in an office]
[Phil fixing a bike]
You can find anything. We have boats, cars. We actually did sell a train before. Motorcycles, scooters, scuba gear, bicycles, jewelry, cameras.
We had a chair once that was a medical chair, which was the weirdest thing I've ever seen. It looked like something from the horror movies. And the person that bought it is a regular customer here.
[Sid inspecting metal chair]
[Text on screen: Sid Lipkowitz, Owner, Electronic Surplus Industries]
It’s one of a kind that I’m aware of.
My name is Sid Lipkowitz. I make my living here in Toronto recycling electronic and scientific equipment.
We sell it, we rent it. A lot of it winds up in the movie business as background props.
[Shots of electronic and scientific equipment]
I deal with GCSurplus across the country. I have been able to get the highest quality microscopes at a fraction of the price.
I live 24/7 surplus. I buy nothing new. Everything I own and have, including art, comes out of GCSurplus. It’s all there. You just have to wait until it gets in your hands.
[Phil and Katherine working]
[Phil speaking]
GCSurplus’ mandate is to get the best value for the Crown. The money we recover from the sales goes back to the government departments, and this is one way that they get a little bit back.
[Katherine speaking]
Any Canadian can get good things at a good price, and it's green.
[Phil speaking]
[A customer picks up his order]
The government is a large organization and they buy a lot of stuff, and it needs to be disposed of in a responsible way.
[Katherine speaking]
[Employees filling boxes]
I remember, there was a guy that came and bought office supplies. It was like four skids of office supplies for seven bucks, and he brought that to his kids’ school. So this school got brand-new office supplies that were barely used and for seven bucks.
[Phil speaking]
We try to recycle and return the product to the consumers, which is basically the people of Canada.
[Katherine speaking]
I love my job. I love my job.
[Katherine pushing a trolley]
[Text on screen: To bid on some of this cool stuff, visit GCSurplus.ca]
[Text on screen: Check us out: facebook.com/PSPC.SPAC, instagram.com/pspc_spac, twitter.com/pspc_spac, youtube.com/PWGSCanada]
[Public Services and Procurement Canada signature]
[Music stops]
[Canada wordmark]
End of video
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