National Post (National Edition)
PPE heist at Hamilton warehouse undisclosed
As the federal government was ramping up its response to the COVID-19 pandemic — including purchasing millions of masks and protective gloves — someone absconded from a Hamilton warehouse with more than two million surgical masks meant for a government personal protective equipment reserve.
The news, first reported by Blacklock's, an Ottawa media outlet, comes as Canadians are entering the second year of the pandemic.
Last spring and early summer, with COVID cases spreading around the country, the government scrambled to secure masks, gloves and other PPE to supply health-care workers and businesses.
The theft of the masks, which vanished in early July, does not appear to have been disclosed to the public.
Records from Public Works and Government Services show that on the night of July 4, two million masks were picked up at a warehouse intended for delivery to Vaudreuil, Que. That shipment was to be done by Purolator.
“Canada has been advised by Purolator that the masks were not picked up by one of their subcontractors as scheduled. Local authorities (Hamilton Police) are investigating,” says a government email.
A spokesperson for the Hamilton police confirmed they “investigated the theft of a trailer containing surgical masks from Hamilton Airport in early July” and that the investigation is ongoing.
“We are working with Purolator and the Government of Canada on the investigation,” the spokesperson said.
Three weeks after the theft, Anita Anand, the federal minister of public services and procurement, announced the creation of the reserves.
Internal government records show that as bureaucrats were setting up the event, they held a call to discuss unspecified “significant developments.”
There had been, earlier in the year, a number of shipments of PPE, many to the Hamilton airport warehouse.
Vantage Airport Group, which manages the international airport in Hamilton, announced a further 34,000 kilograms of personal protective equipment arrived via a CargoJet flight on April 11.
The National Post sought comment from the federal government, Purolator and CargoJet. None immediately replied.