Despite donation policy, most of Toronto's surplus city-owned electronics are sold off

"If the policy is good but no one knows about it, then it's like a candle under bushel," said Councillor Joe Mihevc, who called the city's actions "shameful."

Thestar.com
Feb. 4, 2018
By Miriam Katawazi

Thousands of city-owned computers and other electronics are sold off every year despite an official policy of offering them to nonprofits that serve Toronto's most vulnerable people.

Of the 11,434 devices the city declared surplus over the past three years including monitors, projectors, scanners, tablets, laptop and desktop computers - just 222 were donated.

The remaining devices were sent to a liquidator that sold or recycled the items, according to the city's own data.

Since 2007, the city's policy has been to make surplus assets available to nonprofits that receive city grants. Leftover technology should then be offered to other nonprofits in the city, and then to the city's partners in an overseas donation program. Only then are any surplus electronics supposed to be sold off.

The executive director of ReBOOT Canada, which connects low-income community members with cheap and refurbished technology, said he was "stunned" to learn that the city was selling equipment that could have gone to groups like his.

Francisco Rota said a single computer could serve thousands of people looking to print their resumes, apply for jobs or access their email.

He said that, despite a number of inquiries, he didn't know that a policy to donate the city's surplus items even existed.

"No one ever told us about it," said Rota, whose organization has been operating since 1995. "I've tried to speak to several people at the city and no one ever articulated a policy."

City of Toronto spokesperson Stephanie Diodati said in an email to the Star that all donations requests are fulfilled before the devices are disposed of.

Asked why so few items were donated, Diodati noted that receiving parties must pay for and arrange transportation, reinstall operating systems and install any other required software.

"The city recognizes that while the hardware is free, it does still require coordination efforts and cost on the part of recipients," she said.

Rota said ReBOOT arranges all transportation and storage for donated items, as well as wiping hard drives, cleaning and refurbishing them.

In 2017, Rota said he handled requests from 43 different not-for-profits throughout the GTA.

"The need is great," Rota said. "We are just scratching the surface because we are limited. We don't get any donation from the city of Toronto. It would make a big difference if the city could possibly direct surplus devices to organizations that are concerned with alleviating poverty and the effects of poverty."

Diodati said most donation requests come through city councillors' offices on behalf of community groups.

That came as a surprise to veteran Councillor Joe Mihevc, who put forward a motion in March 2017 asking the city to donate surplus technology. Council voted in favour of the strategy. Then Mihevc was told that the policy already existed.

"If the policy is good but no one knows about it, then it's like a candle under bushel," said Mihevc, who called the city's actions "shameful."

"We should really try to make sure our assets go the extra mile and that requires publicizing," he said. "It should be on our website at least."

That criticism was echoed by the executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. Angela Siefer says city employees should be responsible for making sure the public knows about the policy.

"It has to be somebody's job," Siefer said. "Right now, it is nobody's job. There needs to be a team of people to figure out a way to make sure those devices get into the hands of community members who need them and find the right local partners that have the skills to do that."

Mihevc says the number of devices that don't get donated suggest the city is "basically getting it out of our face as quickly as possible so we don't have to deal with it."

"We are not getting much money from the recyclers but the potential for good is very great if we do things different," he said.

In 2017, the city received $18,832.80 for the items sold through Platinum Liquidators. In 2016, it got $15,382.26 and in 2015, $7,675.20. The funds were reinvested in city's IT assets, Diodati said.

ReBOOT sells refurbished computers to not-for-profits and social assistance recipients for $165. The machines come with licensed software and warranty, monitors, keyboards, mice and cables.

"I think it's important to understand how much we rely on, how much being an active member of our society and community sort of depends on what is your access to a computer, to the internet is," Rota said.

As part of a digital equity program, the municipal government in Seattle, Washington has made its surplus computers, smartphones, tablets and laptops available for free to Seattle-based nonprofit agencies and schools. It also works with a nonprofit to offer affordable items to low-income community members and students.

"Municipalities and local governments are the ones that have to be at the forefront of working on the issue of digital equity, to make all people are connected," Siefer said.