SINCE launching in late April, Surrey Makes PPE program has made significant inroads in producing personal protective equipment (PPE) to help Canadians combat COVID-19. The program’s goal is to ensure that critical PPE is produced, sourced and are readily available to Canadians. In less than six months, Surrey Makes PPE manufacturers has surpassed $10 million in sales.
“As we head into fall, it is crucial that we have our own domestic manufacturing sector producing PPE in Canada for Canadians,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum. “Surrey Makes PPE allows us to be self-sufficient in this vital area, so we don’t have to rely on external suppliers for critical PPE supplies. Surrey manufacturers have pivoted to meet the needs of our health-care professionals, frontline workers, and essential businesses and are now expanding to produce N-95 masks.”
The City of Surrey has helped three Surrey companies that are retooling to make N-95 masks. In one instance, a building permit was expedited and approved in less than three weeks to speed up the establishment of a 13,000-square-foot N-95 manufacturing facility in Campbell Heights. The first N-95 masks to be made in Surrey are expected to roll off the production line next month, with a projected capacity of 800,000 N-95 masks produced each month.
Since its inception, Surrey Makes PPE manufacturers have supplied communities across Canada with over:
- 775,000 litres of disinfectants and hand sanitizers
- 600,000 disinfectant wipes
- 322,500 face shields
- 18,500 fabric face masks
- 13,000 gowns
- 5200 barriers
Surrey Makes PPE was launched in response to the growing demand for made-in-Canada PPE from government, health authorities and local businesses seeking to protect both staff and customers. This Surrey initiative coordinates bulk buying opportunities of locally made PPE for all Canadian Health Authorities and Government Agencies.
For more information on Surrey Makes PPE and to view the most updated list of available PPE and supplies, visit SurreyMakesPPE.ca.
