Millions of masks, gloves en route to other provinces from Alberta

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney looks on as workers load N95 masks and other supplies into a cargo plane as it ships to hospitals in Ontario, B.C. and Quebec.

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – Alberta has started sending medical supplies to other provinces, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators.

In a video posted on Twitter, Premier Jason Kenney watched one of the shipments loaded into a cargo plane at the Edmonton International Airport and says the province has enough to share.

“We’re fortunate that here in Alberta, we were better prepared than most places for the pandemic because we started ordering stuff on the very first rumours of a flu in Hubei province back last December.”

Kenney says there are no strings attached to these shipments.

Data from the province shows there’s more than enough ventilators to handle an expected peak of infections next month, with enough PPE to last until the end of May and orders are out for more.

“Other parts in the country are not as well off in terms of equipment like ventilators. Areas like Ontario and Quebec have a much higher rate of infection, hospitalization and ICU admissions.”

Ontario, Quebec and B.C. will each receive about 250,000 N95 respirators as well as millions of gloves and surgical masks.