General Motors (GM) Canada is retooling part of their Oshawa plant to start producing one million face masks each month, according to a press release published on Friday.

The company says that the shift in production will "help Canada meet the urgent need for face masks for health care professionals and for other Canadians."

An estimated 50 employees will support the production.

We are preparing portions of our #Oshawa plant to produce face masks to help @Canada meet the urgent need for healthcare professionals and other Canadians: https://t.co/0pDx2962rl pic.twitter.com/uhuWO17oOP

— GM Canada (@GMcanada) April 24, 2020

Unifor, a Canadian trade union that represents auto workers at General Motors, said its members are "proud" to begin producing essential medical equipment.

"The fact that Unifor members will help GM produce as many as a million fabric masks a month, for Health Canada at cost, is an example of what we can do when we work together," said President Jerry Dias.

These businesses, and the many others who have offered to help, reflect Canada’s most exemplary values: generosity, service to others, and hard work.

I want to thank them, and promise Canadians we will continue working day and night to keep them safe and healthy.

— Navdeep Bains (@NavdeepSBains) April 24, 2020

The Canadian government is also working with at least a dozen companies such as Windsor Mold, Dynaplas and Ink Smith to produce millions of face shields for frontline workers.

Well-known brands such as Bauer Hockey and Canada Goose are also producing personal protective equipment.