Since the contract was signed in April, the company set up a plant in Montreal that is set to manufacture millions of masks a year
In a briefing note given to Minister Anita Anand on April 3, civil servants advised her the international market, which was Canada’s only source for masks, was becoming unpredictable as demand for masks soared.
People wear face masks as they walk through a shopping mall in Montreal, Saturday, July 18, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world.The government ordered millions of masks early in the pandemic and emptied national stockpiles, including sending nearly 600,000 recently expired masks out to provinces and territories. The government has also invested in sterilizing equipment that allows the masks to be reused.
Most of Canada’s initial deliveries were the Chinese masks that were plagued with quality issues. Nine million of the masks the government received did not meet standards. “Increased demand for these supplies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a pressing and critical need to build domestic capacity,” reads the memo. “The company is an international recognized supplier, with long-term supply agreements in place or being developed.”“In accordance with the contract, Medicom started Canadian production of surgical masks in July, while production of N95 masks is planned to begin in August,” reads the statement.
“This work has resulted in 44 per cent of Canada’s contracts for PPE and medical supplies by dollar value being held with domestic manufacturers, and the establishment of Canadian production of these supplies, while supporting and creating jobs during this difficult economic time.”KAREN BLEIER / AFP
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