Ted will be at the Sunday Antique Market on March 5, 2023 from 9 – 4 p.m. hosting a silent auction contest, where attendees will have the chance to win an antique item by guessing the correct estimated Canadian retail price. The first 50 guests will receive a special gift!

We speak with Ted Finch, who grew up in Mississauga, about his favourite local memories, his most memorable find, what’s kept him going, and more.

1. What initially attracted you to the world of salvaging?
It’s just in my DNA. From the time I was young, my family has always repurposed everything and that’s the way it was. If you could fix something, you would fix it. If you found something that was good, you would fix it and use it. I used to go to the dump with my dad in Mississauga and we would come home with more than we thought we would. I always thought, if you don’t like something, put it at the end of your driveway and maybe someone else will like it. Because in my experience, someone will usually pick it up. Another big thing that attracted me to salvaging is the historical aspect. History class was my class. I loved it.

2. What’s kept you interested in this over the years?
Every day is different and I love that. Almost every day I’ll find a different item and learn about it’s history, which I find exciting. I always say, my most recent find is always my favourite find.
I’ll love something for a while and eventually think to myself, ‘Okay, let me pass this on to a new owner’. Then immediately afterwards, I’ll find something else and think ‘I really like this’ and so the cycle continues.

3. What’s one of your most memorable finds?
My 1937 Indian Chief motorcycle. It was made pre-war and the company doesn’t exist anymore, making it a rare find. I ended up finding it at the bottom of a barn in bits and pieces. Everything was quite literally, scoured all over the place. Super neat find.

4. What are some of your favourite memories of growing up in Mississauga?
I have too many! When I was in Mississauga it was more like a small town, I mean Square One was still farmland.
If I had to choose a favourite memory, it would be taking swimming lessons every day with my sister and hanging around the pool close to my house. I lived by the west acres area and there was a public pool there you could get a membership at that cost nothing.

5. Is there anything you’d change along your journey?
No. I wouldn’t change anything. It’s all good.

6. What does the future of your industry look like over the next 5 years?
I think the future looks a lot brighter because younger people are getting into it - which is exactly what we need. The more young people in this industry, the more recycling, repurposing and keeping stuff out of the landfills.

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