TORONTO -- Ontario is getting creative as it tries increase its COVID-19 supplies and is now looking to private manufacturing facilities to retool their plants to produce much-needed materials.
"It is not businesses as usual," Premier Doug Ford said on Thursday as he sought to reassure the public that his government looking at multiple options maintain resources.
Ford said Martinrea International, a Canadian auto parts manufacturer based in Vaughan, has offered to shift 400 people to a dedicated ventilator production line.
"If we can get the design, that's what we need … and they'll be able to put something together," Ford said.
Ford said he has also been in touch with the CEO of Magna International, another auto parts manufacturer, to help with ventilator production.
"His words were 'Doug, we'll do whatever it takes to pitch in and help,'" Ford said.
The companies, the premier said, offered to provide the staff and expertise at no cost to the province.
Environment Minister Jeff Yurek also advised the government that a company in his Elgin-Middlesex-London riding offered to manufacture ventilators as well.
Meanwhile, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development Vic Fedeli, has asked popular winter coat manufacturer Canada Goose to offer up their sewing machines.
"They have a lot of sewing machines over there, let's convert them to make medical gowns," Ford said, and asked any company with a sewing machine to assist the provincial effort.
Ford said he has also been in touch with hand sanitizer and hand wipe companies to ensure they have enough supplies and has asked distilleries to convert alcohol production lines to manufacture hand sanitizer instead.
"We don't care what bottle it's in, they can use their liquor bottles as long as its properly labeled," Ford said.
Ford asked businesses to "keep their ideas coming" because the country can't rely on importations alone, especially for ventilators.
"We have the people, we have the capacity, and we’re going to start manufacturing here in Ontario."
