Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Update from AAFC on PPE:
At this time, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is being prioritized for the front line workers in the healthcare sector. The Government of Canada is working actively and collaboratively to scale up private sector capacity to produce PPE.
Further, on May 6th, 2020, the Government of Canada announced it is waiving tariffs on certain medical goods such as PPE and the announcement can be found on Finance Canada’s website. The link to the Customs Notice 20-19 is posted on Canada Border Services Agency website.
Provincial and territorial governments are also examining PPE needs in the sector and some have established programs and tools such as matchmaking services. The situation continues to evolve but these resources may be of use.
On May 5th, 2020, the Government of Canada also announced the $77.5 million Emergency Processing Fund. It was established to incent strategic investments to maintain and increase domestic food production and processing capacity of goods critical to domestic food security during the COVID-19 pandemic, including supporting food processors manage new challenges and adapt to health protocols that protect the health of workers and their families.
The program is currently being finalized and details will be shared on AAFC’s website as soon as they are available. Additional inquiries concerning the Emergency Processing Fund can be directed to aafc.epf-fut.aac@canada.ca.