Revision as of 15:07, 17 April 2020

Funding and Applications Completed

Ontario Together

Ady recommended applying at Ontario together so I asked Deb to look at it and see what type of questions they asked. Deb went thru answered the questions in my name "Michael Van Raay" and submitted the form.

From: Ontario.ca <do.not.reply@ontario.ca>
Date: Fri, Mar 27, 2020 at 8:14 PM
Subject: Your Ontario Together submission #2408085 has been received
To: Deb Kirk

On April Thursday April 16th Deb received a call from "Robert" at Ontario Together saying they received over 14,000 applications and ours was being forwarded to the "review Committee". Deb told Robert about the mvrdesigns.ca/Mask website.

Innovation Cluster - Peterborough and the Kawarthas

Joanne Janzen applied on April 7 2020.

Subject:	Thank you for applying
Date:	2020-04-06 11:16 pm
From:	Innovation Cluster <no-reply@innovationcluster.ca>
To:	michael@looseletters.ca

Thank you for sending in your application to help change the world with your innovative company!
Due to the high volume of awesome applications, please expect to receive a response in the next 1-2 weeks.
Thanks!
The Innovation Cluster Team

They replied on April 8 2020 with

Subject:	Innovation Cluster
Date:	2020-04-08 9:17 am
From:	Alana Dall <adall@innovationcluster.ca>
To:	michael@looseletters.ca
Cc:	John Gillis <jgillis@innovationcluster.ca>

Good Morning Michael, 
On behalf of the Innovation Cluster - Peterborough and the Kawarthas, I would like to thank you for applying to become a 
client. We evaluate every submission we receive carefully and enjoy seeing the passion for entrepreneurship in this 
region. 
Although we receive many high-potential business applications, as a not-for-profit we must focus on a strict guideline of 
our service area - Peterborough, and the Kawarthas. 
Based on reviewing your application, we are unable to accept you into our program at this time due to your location. 
We do however encourage you to use the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), a platform for innovators to collaborate in 
this time of crisis. 
If you do have any questions in regards to getting connected to OCE or manufacturing please contact John Gillis 
jgillis@innovationcluster.ca
Best,  --
Alana Dall
Operations & Events Manager
Innovation Cluster - Peterborough and the Kawartha's

COVID-19 Collaboration Platform

On April 6th 2020 Joanne Janzen completed the application for:

Subject:COVID-19 Collaboration Platform
Date:2020-04-06 11:15 pm
From:"OCE Ontario" <noreply+d1c12a86fc84cc18@formstack.com>
To:michael@looseletters.ca
Reply-To:info@oce-ontario.org

Thank you for taking the time to participate in the Covid-19 Collaboration Platform. Members of the OCE team will be in 
contact with you as soon as possible to confirm the provided details and discuss opportunities to collaborate. Due to the 
high volume of requests, we appreciate your patience in awaiting a response. In the meantime, we encourage you to 
continue to move forward on your innovation and visit the OCE website for ongoing updates and new funding options related 
to this fast-changing situation.
We appreciate your valuable role in Ontario's innovation ecosystem and look forward to working together in common effort.

Rhonda Barnet

Cora Whittington arranged a Zoom Call with Rhonda dn Don Barnet on April 13th 2020.

Rhonda sent referals to:

Kent Fitzhugh Eastern Region Ontario

Kent Fitzhugh
Project Navigator/Senior Business Advisor
Business Services / export readiness - Eastern Region
Business capacity  &  readiness branch
Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
Kingston, ON
Cell/Txt: (437) 232-4838
e:  kent.fitzhugh@ontario.ca

Greetings Kent et al,
Last night I talked with two brothers Michael and Don VanRaay who have invented a new made in Ontario mask.  They live in 
southwestern Ontario.  Are you able to connect them with one of your colleagues to support their efforts in testing and 
possible commercialization?
Thanks in advance for your support.
Kind Regards,
RHONDA BARNET
President & COO

Kent Replied on April 15th 2020 with:

Hello everyone,
I’m just about to dive into several of calls that may not see me resurface until 3 pm. Once I’m clear of these calls I 
would be happy to see what I can provide.
I did quickly find this:
Class II, III and IV  medical devices require Canadian device licences which are obtained by the manufacturer, see here 
https://health-products.canada.ca/mdall-limh/index-eng.jsp
If they are not currently licenced  you cannot apply to sell them under an Establishment licence.
To find out more about products that need device licensing please contact the Medical Devices Directorate hc.meddevices-instrumentsmed.sc@canada.ca
They are currently working under an Interim Order to fast track  products that normally require device licensing see:
APPLY FOR AN INTERIM ORDER AUTHORIZATION (IOA) issued by Health Canada’s Medical Devices Directorate
Available for Class I, II, III or IV medical device
IOA will allow you to import or sell COVID-19 medical device in Canada.
See Guidance online
Information you must submit
submit to: hc.devicelicensing-homologationinstruments.sc@canada.ca
Indicate the following in the subject line of your email: COVID-19 IO Submission [name of company]
If the class III medical devices are already licenced  in Canada please resubmit this application for an MDEL to 
hc.mdel.application.leim.sc@canada.ca
The MDEL is the appropriate application to import and distribute Class I devices. If this is all you are authorized to do 
at this time please correct the application and resubmit hc.mdel.application.leim.sc@canada.ca
I’ll be in touch,
Kent

On Tuesday April 14, 2020 Don talked to Kent and Kent followed up with the following email: Hi Don, great connecting with you this afternoon.

As we discussed, I would recommend register with the Ontario Together site here: https://www.ontario.ca/form/submit-your- 
innovative-solutions-to-help-fight-the-impacts-of-coronavirus. If you have registered already, could you send me the 
registration # you have received?
I'll also look to see that resources are out there with respect to approval processes and other potential requirements to 
get an innovative idea into production.  Was a rough estimate of your production capacity with those masks 10-20K per 
day?  
As soon as I can identify who your Senior Business Advisor is I'll make that introduction.
Thanks
Kent

Kent sent another email asking:

Hi Don,
Do you and/or your brother have a pre-existing business that would be potentially be producing these masks? If there is a 
business please let me know and I can pass that information on to the Business Advisor for that area.
Thank you,
Kent  

On Wed April 15th 2020 Don replied with the following:

Kent Fitzhugh
Thanks so much for your time and follow up emails.
Here is some additional information:
1.       Ontario Together Submission:
-  Michael has registered a submission from  March 27, 2020 with the assistance of  Deb Kirk
- The registration number / confirmation is pasted below:
- I am not familiar with the details of the submission
- I will follow up and see whether this can be updated.
From: Ontario.ca <do.not.reply@ontario.ca>
Date: Fri, Mar 27, 2020 at 8:14 PM
Subject: Your Ontario Together submission #2408085 has been received
To: Deb Kirk

On April 15th 2020 Kent referred us to Stephen P. Smith Senior Business Adviser Stratford.

Hello Don,
I have been able to find the Senior Business Advisor in your area, Steve Smith (who is copied on the email) will be your 
point of contact going forward with the Ministry. Steve, I have included the email correspondence between Don and I 
below, Don 's brother Micheal has registered through  the Ontario Together Portal (# below).
Going forward, any resources we can point to Don and Micheal  that may assist in the development of their innovative mask 
would be a start.
I'll leave to you both to take this forward.
Thank you Steve!
Kent

Celine V. Caira Federal Government

Celine V. Caira
Policy Advisor | Conseillère en politique
Office of the Minister | Cabinet du ministre
Innovation, Science and Industry Canada | Innovation, Sciences et Industrie Canada
celine.caira@canada.ca | Mobile: 343-548-4019 | 235 Queen Street, Ottawa

Rhonda sent a introduction:

Greetings Celine,
Please allow me to e-introduce you to two brothers who each own manufacturing/industrial companies, and have come  
together to invent a new mask (very different approach).  They would value some direction from your office as to how to 
step forward to get testing in place with Health Canada to see if they could then move to Federal procurement programs.
The inventors are Don and Michael VanRaay from Southwestern Ontario.

Celine replied on Thursday April 16th 2020 with

Thanks Rhonda!
Hi Michael and Don,
Great to meet you. I would be happy to discuss next steps based on your product. Looks very interesting. Would you be 
available around 12:45pm tomorrow for a quick chat? I've sent a calendar invite as a placeholder with my cell #.
You can also fill out our ISED portal if you haven't already, which will feed in directly to the ISED Department and 
someone should give you a call in the next few days: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/080.nsf/eng/00048.html
As well, you can reach out to Health Canada to get the approvals process rolling - For any 
questions/requests/applications for medical devices, including test kits, please contact:
hc.devicelicensing-homologationinstruments.sc@canada.ca
Looking forward to connecting.
Celine V. Caira

Don and Michael spoke with Celine on Friday April 17th 2020 at 12:45 pm Celine would forward the links and recommended completing the ISED Department Portal form and the Challenges for InNovative Solutions Canada. she will email the links.

Celine Responded with the following links

Hi Cora, Michael and Don,
As discussed:
Innovative Solutions Canada R&D Stream - https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/101.nsf/eng/home
Innovative Solutions Canada Testing Stream - https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/101.nsf/eng/00101.html
Keep me updated as things progress.
Many thanks,
Celine

NRC Link

https://nrc.canada.ca/en

Ontario Together program and funding

https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-your-organization-can-help-fight-coronavirus

Canada Buy and Sell

https://buyandsell.gc.ca/

Stephen P. Smith Ontario Together Stratford

Referred by Kent Fitzhugh on April 15th. Kent was referred by Rhonda Barnet

From: Smith, Stephen P. (MEDJCT) [1] Sent: April 17, 2020 8:08 AM To: Fitzhugh, Kent (MEDJCT); Don VanRaay Subject: RE: Senior Business Advisor for Stratford

Thanks Kent.

Steve sent an email to Don on April 17, 2020.

Hi Don, nice to make your acquaintance. I'm booked up for the rest of the day, but are you available next Tuesday for a 
call. I'm good after 2:00.
Thanks
Steve Smith, MBA
Senior Business Advisor
Business Services Branch
Business Partnerships and Programs Division
Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
E:mail: Stephen.p.smith@ontario.ca
Cell: (519) 670-7808

Don Replied on April 17th 2020 with

Steve Smith
Thanks for the follow up email.
Yes, I am generally readily available, so next Tuesday after 2:00 pm is fine.
We have a telephone meeting set up with Celine Caira today at 1:00 pm today
She is replying to  our 'Ontario Together' submission
Please review our website if you have a chance.
               http://mvrdesigns.ca/mask
This presents the design concept,  manufacturing process, pictures of prototypes and an overall video
This is continually being updated.
Looking forward to discussions.
Don VanRaay
VR3 Engineering Ltd.
505 Wright Blvd, Stratford, Ontario N4Z 1H3 Canada