Canadian companies stepping up to provide reliable PPE during COVID-19

Introduction 

It's no question that the world has had enough of COVID-19. As Ontario's province goes into another lockdown and other provinces follow, Canadians are doing the best they can to stay safe and stay sane.  

Canadian businesses, healthcare organizations, and individuals are doing the best they can to follow physical distancing guidelines while arming themselves with the necessary personal protective equipment, or PPE, to limit the risk of transmitting the virus. Making sure we all have masks when we go out, washing our hands often and applying hand sanitizer, and using barriers within businesses are just some of the practices Canadians accept as the new normal.  

The increase in demand for PPE in Canada has led to many manufacturers and distributors working together with the Ontario government's help to provide Canadians with reliable and high-quality PPE.  

Unfortunately, Supply+Protect continues to be shocked at the amount of counterfeit certification and substandard products flooding the market. There is zero transparency when dealing with far too many manufacturers and distributors. Some even go to the extent of forging certifications and misrepresenting the quality of their products. This is not just dishonest; this is dangerous. 

To highlight reliable and reputable Canadian manufacturers of PPE, we've put together a list of the top 10 Canadian brands stepping up to provide high-quality PPE products during the pandemic. 

1. The Canadian Shield 

The Canadian Shield was born out of a small 3D printing company, InkSmith supplying schools with educational technology. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at InkSmith turned their 3D printers towards creating high quality, Canadian made face shields. They sought to combat the shortage of PPE available to the healthcare system. Very quickly, The Canadian Shield successfully scaled from less than 10 employees to over 300 and began producing 200,000 face shields per day.  

The Canadian Shield has expanded their supply of reliable PPE by offering face shields, disposable face masks, and children's cloth masks. 

In their words, 

"The Canadian Shield is on a mission to create a reliable supply of PPE for all Canadians; invigorating the local manufacturing economy in Canada and reducing reliance on global supply chains." 

2. Inspired PPE 

The Canadian Shield was not the only Ontarian company to find innovative ways to help during the pandemic's early days. Geoffrey Lago, CEO of a Spanner, a women's fashion store, felt compelled to help when hearing about PPE shortages in the local healthcare system. By using his connections with his partners in China, he procured and donated N95 and 3-ply surgical masks to several hospitals in Guelph, Kitchener, and Cambridge.  

Inspired PPE now offers certified and bulk PPE supplies, including hand sanitizer, isolation gowns, respirators, surgical masks and face shields. 

In Geoffrey's own words, "I want to do whatever I can do to help keep our communities safe and in particular our health care workers." 

4. Hygia Health 

Hygia Health is a Canadian-owned and operated energetic start-up based in Vaughan, Ontario, that has stepped up to fill urgent demands for local, high-quality face masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The company was founded by two childhood friends - Sean Keenan, President and Mark Pajot, Vice President. Hygia Health will soon have the capacity to manufacture up to 1,000,000 masks per day when fully operational. 

Hygia Health confronted COVID-19 by increasing manufacturing capacity in Ontario for large quantities of low-cost, high-quality disposable face masks. Their masks are made with North American materials.  

5. Shaver Industries Inc. 

Established in 1986, Shaver Industries Inc. Is a trusted name in manufacturing, providing their customers with a wide variety of industrial solutions, including PPE. Shaver Industries Inc. is contributing to the effort to provide reliable sneeze guard barriers for schools, workplaces, and public spaces. They stepped up to combat COVID-19 to provide high-quality commercial solutions that are local to businesses during these uncertain times.  

In their words, 

"Supporting the health of our communities has never been more important. We've recognized the needs of our clients and reinvigorated our production lines to adjust to the demand of PPE in the global community." 

6. Hunter Amenities 

Established in 1981 in Burlington, Ontario by John Hunter, the CEO, Hunter Amenities has manufactured personal care products for almost 40 years. The company started as a small business, but unmatched innovation, adaptability, and collective hard work turned the company into a global leader in the hotel and hospitality industry's personal care manufacturing space. Today, Hunter Amenities has over 10 manufacturing facilities globally and manufactures products for more than 45 top bath and body retail brands worldwide. 

Hunter Amenities has been instrumental in providing eco-friendly sanitizers. 

7. Healthy Hands 

The Healthy Hands Company was started to provide hand sanitizer to a market that was, and is, facing a global pandemic. Initially founded to supply the local market (Waterloo Region), the product quickly gained awareness across Canada.  

To help those businesses who cannot afford hand sanitizer or are providing a frontline service, Healthy Hands Company is donating 1 litre to a local business in need for every 100 litres they sell.   

It is important to them to produce a quality hand sanitizer suitable for commercial and consumer users. Their formulation is Health Canada and World Health Organization approved. No scents, no colour, no fancy labels...or at least not yet.  

8. Novocol Pharma 

Novotel Pharma is a pharmaceutical manufacturer located in Cambridge, Ontario, with expertise in sterile injectables. With over 40 years in operation, their talented team strives for excellence in GMP manufacturing for patients and business partners worldwide. Novotel Pharma is a global leader in providing integrated turnkey cartridge manufacturing and innovative drug delivery solutions to help biopharma customers bring their drug products from development to patient. 

9. Dixon's Distilled Spirits 

Since March 2020, when COVID lockdowns first came into effect, Dixon's Distilled Spirits provided local hospitals and first responders with hand sanitizer produced within the Dixon's distillery the World Health Organization formulation: 80% ethyl alcohol, water, hydrogen peroxide and glycerin. 

They provided businesses in the Guelph region with 4-litre jugs and individual sizes of their sanitizers. 

In their words, 

"Dixon's sanitizer has been formulated to serve the needs of the healthcare sector, and now we're very pleased to be offering it to other businesses so we can all get back to work safely," says Dixon's co-founder JD Dixon. 

10. Supply+Protect 

Supply+Protect is an online marketplace where Canadian manufacturers and distributors of PPE/COVID-19 business solutions connect with Canadian businesses as they plan to re-open. We place a heavy emphasis on supporting Canadian manufacturing whenever possible.