This month, Minister Anand announced the creation of the Essential Services Contingency Reserve (ESCR) . 

What is the Essential Services Contingency Reserve (ESCR)?

It was introduced as a responsive measure to provide an emergency backstop for access to personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as items like non-medical face coverings and disinfection products on a cost recovery basis, where other sources of supply are unavailable.

On July 16th, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a federal investment of more than $19 billion to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and make our country more resilient to possible future waves of the virus. As part of the Safe Restart Agreement, the Government of Canada will commit $4.5 billion to purchase PPE for essential service workers, for national use. Part of this funding will assist in establishing the ESCR.

Our top priority has been – and continues to be – procuring equipment and supplies for our frontline healthcare workers. The ESCR complements existing PPE support being provided to frontline health care workers by the PHAC and provinces and territories.

When will the ESCR begin operating? 

The ESCR will begin operating on August 3, 2020, and will be available to help essential services organizations that have explored all other sources of supply, and have been unable to acquire the supplies that they need to avoid imminent disruptions in service.

Organizations and businesses that urgently require access to a short-term supply of PPE and meet the eligibility criteria will be able to apply online.  Requests to access the ESCR must be in support of essential services, where an organization is facing shortages of PPE and other critical supplies, which poses a significant risk of disruption in service affecting Canadians.

For more information click here. 

Additional Links 

Visit the Personal Protective Equipment Supply Hub. 

Learn more about the COVID-19 Supply Council. 

Visit canada.ca/coronavirus to learn more.