Thunder Bay Bombardier plant to assist in manufacturing 18,000 ventilators

Thunder Bay's Bombardier plant will help manufacture 18,000 ventilators for hospitals across Ontario, starting at the end of April.

Ventilator production will create up to 50 jobs

Jeff Walters · CBC News · Posted: Apr 16, 2020 11:46 AM EDT | Last Updated: April 16, 2020

Bombardier's Thunder Bay, Ont., plant will help build 18,000 ventilators in partnership with O-Two Medical Technologies, for hospitals across the province. (Jeff Walters/CBC)

Thunder Bay's Bombardier plant will help manufacture 18,000 ventilators for hospitals across Ontario, starting at the end of April.

The medical devices, produced in conjunction with O-Two Medical Technologies Inc., will see sanding, painting, electrical and assembly of internal components take place at the Thunder Bay, Ont., plant.

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"After several collaborative discussions and gaining a full understanding of what was needed to produce these life saving devices, it was clear that Bombardier's plant in Thunder Bay could play a sub-manufacturing role and help O-Two produce this critical medical equipment for the Government of Ontario," Bombardier said in a statement.

The work will take three to four months to complete, and provide work for 40 to 50 employees at the Thunder Bay plant. Three-quarters of those workers were previously laid off, the company said.

Bombardier credits Thunder Bay - Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski for connecting the local plant manager, David Black, with O-Two Medical Technologies in Brampton.

Bombardier said O-Two had its supply chain disrupted, and needed a company in Canada to help manufacture its portable ventilators.