CAE recalls laid-off employees, signs contract with feds for ventilators
by CM Staff
Ventilator design and testing is being finalized following the signature of a contract with the federal government for 10,000 units
Rendering of CAE Air1 ventilator. PHOTO: CAE INC.
MONTREAL – CAE announced on April 20 that it has recalled all remaining temporarily laid-off employees in Canada.
Between recalls of employees providing essential services and recalls through the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program, approximately 1,500 employees will be back on the payroll this week; the vast majority are based in Montreal and will work from home.
The temporary layoffs were part of a series of measures the manufacturer of simulation technologies announced on April 6 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CAE also announced the company has signed a contract with the federal government on April 10 to manufacture and supply 10,000 ventilators to help COVID-19 patients.
Related: CAE announces 2,600 temporary layoffs in response to COVID-19
The company shares that it is finalizing the design and testing of its CAE Air1 ventilator and is preparing for production. The first unit is expected to be delivered in early May to health authorities for certification.
In addition, CAE announced that it is leveraging its global supply chain to source scarce N95 masks in support of front-line health workers.
To date, CAE has secured 100,000 N95 masks which will be delivered to the Quebec government.
“CAE employees are proud to play a role in saving lives by equipping the country with a made-in-Canada ventilator, and by using the CAE global supply chain to obtain a significant quantity of N95 masks to protect our guardian angels who are caring for COVID-19 patients,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s President and CEO, in a prepared statement.
