On March 21st, 2020, the Government of Ontario announced that it will be launching Ontario Together, a new website that will help businesses and their employees work with the province to meet the challenges of COVID-19.
This initiative will remove barriers to allow Ontario’s manufacturing sector to redeploy work towards the production of essential equipment like ventilators, masks, swabs, gloves, eye protection equipment and hospital beds.
The Government is also asking for innovative ideas that might address the following:
- Virtual mental health services for people who are vulnerable or living in remote communities.
- Supply chain resiliency monitoring.
- Financial planning and advising for small businesses that can be delivered online at low-cost including advice about relief programs and how to apply.
The online portal will allow companies to share creative solutions quickly and give Government easy access to proposals related to required goods and services.
This announcement is similar to the Federal Government’s announcement which took place on Friday, March 20, but is adapted to the local provincial context of Ontario.
OSPE is proud to see several levels of government recognize the importance of the private sector to fight against COVID-19, of which engineers are a vital component.
Engineers can aid in the development of medical equipment, such as ventilators, but also digital tools and data tracking software, that will better help government and medical practitioners make informed decisions.
We’re inspired to see the engineering community take a leadership role and utilize it’s vital talent pool to fight the spread of COVID-19.
OSPE will continue monitoring the current situation and will make sure that the engineering voice and talent is heard by all levels of government. We hope that through a proactive, collaborative approach, we can minimize the economic and social impact of COVID-19.
Do you have any ideas on ways engineers can contribute in fighting this global pandemic? Let us know in the comments below!
For more on COVID-19 and its affect on engineering in Ontario, visit our COVID-19 news page.
