GM Canada completes federal order for 10 million face masks

Employees from GM’s Oshawa Operations sign the 10 millionth mask milestone banner, after producing nearly one million masks per month since the mask line officially launched in May 2020. GM Canada has now fulfilled its commitment to the Government of Canada to produce 10 million face masks at cost for the Public Health Agency of Canada Photo Credit: Ann Power/GM Canada

On April 8, GM Canada completed its order of 10 million masks for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Since the start of production on May 26, 2020, the team at Oshawa Operations produced approximately one million masks a month to help protect front-line workers and other Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

GM Canada received its Medical Device Establishment License from Health Canada on April 22, 2020, and within about three weeks had sourced materials, built the clean room with enhanced safety protocols, installed the required equipment, and recalled and trained 60 workers for two shifts of production in Oshawa in partnership with Unifor. The first mask delivered to the government was produced on May 26, 2020.

“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, GM Canada president and managing director. “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 (CMM) Room project, the official 10-millionth mask will be donated to the Ingenium, Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation in Ottawa.