Question Period Note: Medicom N95 – Information on deliveries

PSPC entered into a contract with Medicom on April 26th 2020 to supply Canada with 20M N95 masks annually, to be manufactured in Canada. Medicom has commenced production of masks but delivery was contingent on two approvals: first, receiving Health Canada Interim Order approval, and secondly, receiving respirator quality assessment testing approval from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). On October 30th 2020, Medicom confirmed to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) that Health Canada had approved their Interim Order application for their N95 respirators. On November 13th 2020, Medicom received Quality Assessment testing approval from PHAC.

• The health and safety of Canadians is our number one priority
  • The Government of Canada is working closely with our partners to ensure front line workers have access to the supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to stay safe and healthy in response to COVID-19
  • In order to provide front line workers with much needed PPE, PSPC began work to establish domestic production of PPE with partners like Medicom, who has started production of N95 respirators in Canada
  • There were two steps required before a delivery schedule of Medicom N95 respirators could be confirmed: an Interim Order application and Quality Assessment testing
  • Medicom has confirmed that Health Canada has approved its Interim Order application for N95 respirators and that PHAC has approved their N95 respirator through Quality Assessment Testing on November 13th
  • For the week of November 16, Medicom will be delivering a quantity of 3 million N95 respirators going to PHAC with an additional shipment of 97,000 units going to Manitoba by November 18, 2020
  • Quality Assessment testing was required to confirm the masks met the mandatory 95 per cent filtration standard for N95 respirators. This testing process was being performed by the National Research Council on behalf of PHAC and takes 7 to 10 business days depending on the number of sample masks being tested
  • Medicom has provided PSPC with a delivery schedule for the N95 respirators, with deliveries beginning in late November

If pressed on the delivery schedule for surgical masks:

• Production ramp-up for surgical masks began in July 2020, and deliveries began in August 2020. As of November 4, 2020, Canada has received approximately 4 million surgical masks from Medicom

PSPC awarded a 10-year contract to Medicom for domestic production and distribution of surgical masks and N95 respirators for PHAC.

Production ramp-up for N95 respirators began in August 2020. Medicom applied for Health Canada’s Interim Order (IO) certification. Health Canada approval was obtained on October 30.

Medicom has also received Quality Assessment Testing approval from PHAC on their N95 respirator.

Quality Assessment testing is a standard requirement to confirm the masks meet the mandatory 95 per cent filtration standard for N95 respirators. This quality assessment testing process was performed by the National Research Council, on behalf of PHAC. The National Research Council performed the testing using the filtration testing machine TSI8130A, which is the same machine used by NIOSH. Quality assessment testing typically takes 7 to 10 business days depending on the number of sample masks being tested.

While Medicom was finalizing Quality Assessment Testing, they provided 700,000 FFP2 (N95 equivalent) from Europe. Medicom has provided PSPC with a delivery schedule for the N95 respirators, with deliveries beginning in late November.

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