The Alberta government has contracted a Calgary company to provide more than 40 million medical masks over the next two years.
Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the $60-million agreement between Alberta Health Services and Orpyx Medical Technologies will ensure the province has sufficient personal protective equipment for its medical staff.
He says before the COVID-19 pandemic, health workers used about 33,000 masks a day; that number has skyrocketed to 600,000.
Shandro says the 40 million masks will account for about 10 per cent of what the province needs.
He says an independent testing lab has reviewed the supply of masks to ensure they meet international clinical standards.
The review process also involved front-line health-care workers through the AHS Quality Assurance Group.