Hundreds of ventilators are now in production as part of the federal government’s efforts to shore up national stockpiles of crucial equipment needed to fight COVID-19.

It’s as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $2-billion in new funding which will be invested to buy personal protective equipment like masks, face shields, gowns, ventilators, test kits, swabs, and hand sanitizer.

The PM says about 3,000 companies have stepped up offering to help.

“The way you looked around and said not ‘how can I keep myself safe?’ but ‘how can I keep myself and my employees safe and help out in this critical time?’ is a real sign of leadership and a sign of what Canadians do best,” Trudeau said. “In tough times, we pull together, we’re there for each other. We put up our hands and we ask ‘how can we help?'”

Speaking on Tuesday, Trudeau announced that the government has signed contracts with three Canadian companies – Thornhill Medical, MediCom, and Spartan BioScience – to produce health care supplies like surgical masks and respirators.

“We know the demand for medical equipment and supplies will grow in the coming weeks so we need a sustainable, stable supply of these products,” added Trudeau. “That means making them at home, and we’re optimistic that they will be available in the coming weeks.”

As of 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, there were 7,734 cases of COVID-19 across Canada, with 89 deaths. B.C. has 970 cases with 19 deaths.