OPG donating over half a million masks to COVID-19 crisis
by CM Staff
The donated masks were part of OPG's inventory of personal protective equipment for its workers as part of its emergency preparedness and response plan
OPG is donating over half a million masks to support frontline health-care workers during COVID-19 crisis. PHOTO: OPG
TORONTO — Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is donating 500,000 surgical masks and 75,000 N95 masks to the Ontario government to address the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The world is facing an unprecedented health and economic crisis that requires the mobilization and participation of every individual and every business in this country,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG’s President and CEO, in a prepared statement. “As the province’s largest electricity generator, OPG has a responsibility to not only keep the lights on for families, hospitals and essential businesses during this critical time, but also a social responsibility to do everything we can to help meet our communities’ most vital health care needs. Together we will power on.”
OPG says it is coordinating delivery of a shipment of 250,000 surgical and 50,000 N95 masks this week to the Ministry of Health for distribution to hospitals, long-term care homes and any other essential health-care providers in the most-needed areas of the province. The utility is maintaining a quantity of 250,000 surgical and 15,000 N95 masks for future donation where needs are greatest.
Separately, this week OPG says it is also donating 5,000 N95 masks and 10,000 surgical masks each directly to Scarborough Health Network and Lakeridge Health in Oshawa as well as 10 powered air purifying respirators to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto to meet an urgent need.
The donated masks were part of OPG’s inventory of personal protective equipment for its workers as part of its emergency preparedness and response plan. The plan includes the pre-purchase and storage of pandemic supplies. OPG says its inventory exceeds its needs at this time and as a result, the organization is able to share some of its supplies with the Ontario government for health-care priorities.
