GM produces 10 million face masks for Government of Canada
Maryam Farag
Economy Health & Safety Industry Government Manufacturing Canada Canadian economy COVID-19 government investment jobs manufacturer manufacturing
Photo: General Motors.
General Motors Canada produced 10 million face masks at cost for the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Since the start of production on May 26, 2020, the team at Oshawa Operations has produced approximately one million masks a month.
“We want to thank the Government of Canada, our suppliers, and our Unifor partners for their support in making this project possible,” said Scott Bell, President and Managing Director, GM Canada. “Although this milestone marks the end of our contract with Health Canada, GM will leverage the speed and agility of our pandemic response to continue supporting our customers and communities.”
To commemorate the Canadian Mask Making Room project, the official 10-millionth mask will be donated to the Ingenium, Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation in Ottawa.
“The last year has shown that in difficult times, Canadians roll their sleeves up together,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister, Innovation, Science and Industry. “Canada was in need of PPE, and GM Canada stepped up to be part of the solution by contributing to Canada’s domestic capacity for crucial face masks. I want to thank GM Canada, its workers and Unifor, for playing an important part in Canada’s fight against COVID-19. You are tremendous examples of Canadian kindness and ingenuity.”
GM Canada will produce nearly 500,000 additional masks that will be distributed to its nearly 450 dealers. In turn, dealers will donate the masks to local charities of their choice.
