The Canadian Shield Donates 750,000 Face Shields To Education Ministries Across Canada For Teachers Returning To Classrooms

WATERLOO, ON | JULY 29, 2020 — In preparation for Canadian teachers returning to the classroom, Waterloo Region-based Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacturer The Canadian Shield is donating 750,000 reusable face shields to provincial and territorial governments across Canada. The value of the 750,000 face shield donation is approximately $7.5-million. The face shields will be distributed by the public sector to protect teachers and educators from potential exposure to COVID-19 or other serious health risks.

Canada’s PPE supply will be put to the test in the fall, with hundreds of thousands of educators and students preparing for a return to classrooms. While provinces and territories across the country are in the midst of determining a viable model to facilitate a return to in-class instruction, The Canadian Shield remains committed to ensuring the protection of students and teachers during this pivotal transition.

When The Canadian Shield began manufacturing face shields in March 2020, it made a call to the community in Waterloo Region and across Ontario for help in 3D printing the visors to maximize production capacity and reach as many front-line healthcare workers as possible. Dozens of school boards from across Canada offered support, enabling the company to donate 20,000 shields to healthcare workers in those first critical weeks.

“We would not be where we are today if it weren’t for the help of school boards across Ontario and organizations across Canada, who helped us 3D print face shield components in our early days,” said The Canadian Shield President Jeremy Hedges. “This is our way of giving back to the community and supporting Canadian educators.”

The Canadian Shield has its roots in education. Founded by InkSmith, an educational technology company specializing in 21st century learning technologies, the company pivoted to produce PPE at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and is now producing 200,000 face shields per day.  

In addition to the 750,000 shield donation, The Canadian Shield is also excited to launch its new line of kids face shields. Modelled after the original design, the new kids face shield has been modified to fit children aged five to 12 years old. The Canadian Shield began producing kids shields after receiving feedback from customers seeking a suitable face shield option for children under 12 years of age. While face masks can sometimes be uncomfortable for children, face shields can be a great PPE alternative, providing protection against airborne particles.

The Canadian Shield has also successfully launched cloth and surgical mask lines. The company is producing one million surgical masks per week and anticipates hitting an annual quota of more than 300 million masks. In the next few months, the company will also begin manufacturing isolation gowns, with an anticipated capacity of six million gowns per year.

“We have invested heavily in PPE manufacturing and established reliable supply chains across Canada to ensure our nation is self-sustaining and in a position to combat any future global health crisis,” said Hedges. “Our days of relying on global supply chains are over. We are proud to be part of what we see as a ‘Made in Canada’ movement.”

The Canadian Shield has reached out to all relevant ministries to coordinate donation distribution details. For more information on The Canadian Shield, please visit www.canadianshieldppe.ca.

 

ABOUT THE CANADIAN SHIELD

The Canadian Shield is a Waterloo Region based advanced manufacturing company that specializes in the production and distribution of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. The company was founded in the midst of the COVID-19 global health pandemic by educational technology company InkSmith to address the shortage of protective gear for front-line staff in hospitals and medical facilities. Specializing in reusable protective face masks, The Canadian Shield’s patent-pending technology can significantly reduce healthcare costs while saving lives. 
 

Website:canadianshieldppe.ca 

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Twitter: @canshieldppe

LinkedIn: The Canadian Shield 

 

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