EDMONTON -- The Alberta government says it has enough hospital beds and medical supplies to meet the projected demands of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro made the announcement during a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

Shandro also said Alberta would send personal protective equipment and ventilators to Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

"Our team of Alberta health experts is very confident in our modelling data and our expected need for PPE and ventilators," Shandro said. "I assure all Albertans that we have ample supply. We are in a position both to keep Albertans safe and to help ensure Canadian health care systems from coast to coast are equipped to take on the challenges ahead."

The province says the equipment will breakdown down as follows.

Ontario will receive:

  • 250,000 N95 masks
  • 2.5 million procedural masks
  • 15 million gloves
  • 87,000 goggles
  • 50 ventilators

Quebec will receive:

  • 250,000 N95 masks
  • 2 million procedural masks
  • 15 million gloves

British Columbia will receive:

  • 250,000 N95 masks

Alberta will begin shipping the equipment next week and officials say the province could provide more supplies to other provinces as the need arises.

"Albertans should be very proud that we are able to extend a helping hand to our Canadian brothers and sisters in this time of need. It is because of Albertans’ efforts to isolate and the incredible job being done by frontline health-care workers that we are in a position to support others during this crisis," said Premier Jason Kenney. "We want all of our country to know that in both good times and bad, Alberta is there for Canada."

Kenney said the plan to get equipment to other provinces has been in the works for the last seven to 10 days. 

Kenney also said he hoped the provinces on the receiving end, especially those who have not supported pipeline development, would recognize that the donation is only possible thanks to Alberta’s resources.

“We Albertans contribute $20 billion more to the rest of Canada than we get back in benefits every year. That helps to fund their hospital systems, their healthcare systems, their schools and social services. So I hope that one of the lessons to be learned from this crisis is that we are all in this together,” Kenney said. “I hope there will be a renewed sense of national solidarity. And I think part of that should mean that we’re all in this together not only when it comes to a health emergency, but also when it comes to generating wealth through the responsible development of resources, so we can have the money that pays for world class health care.”

According to the province’s modeling projections, the virus will likely peak in the province in mid-May, and an estimated 820 people could be in hospital during that period. A quarter of those people will likely require critical care.

The province said based on those projections, and with current stockpiles of equipment and more on the way, Alberta will have enough PPE to maintain the necessary supply.

Kenney also announced Alberta’s daily COVID-19 stats at the press conference.

An additional 69 cases of the virus have been detected in Alberta, bringing the total to 1,569, and an additional death of a person in Calgary.

Kenney said despite the new cases, Alberta is doing better than the modelling had suggested would be the case at this time.