Consul General Joe Comartin (left) with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
Throughout the pandemic, Canadian and U.S. businesses have been working together to ensure a steady supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across the border. Some companies with Canadian and U.S. operations have generously contributed PPE to medical facilities and health care workers. One such example is Solutions 2 Go, a firm based in Brampton, Ontario with a sales and distribution office in Louisville. The company donated over 52,800 KN95 masks to be distributed throughout Kentucky.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear thanked the company in his June 15 press conference: “This is a major donation. It’s one of the hardest PPE pieces to find and it’s really going to help us.” Gov. Beshear’s near daily press conferences have become a key source of information on COVID-19, offering updates on the state’s response and encouraging citizens to work together to prevent outbreaks. The Governor reinforced the message that wearing masks is key to controlling the spread of coronavirus and to enabling the economy to re-open. He praised the Canadian company for being a valuable partner in the fight against the pandemic.
Canada is Kentucky’s number one customer, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the State’s exports, more than what Kentucky sells to the U.K. and France combined. Kentucky enjoys a two-way trade relationship with Canada valued at $11.9 billion. There are 92 Canadian-owned businesses who call the Bluegrass State their home. These companies employ about 6,250 people and are an integral part of their local communities.