Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that 3M has been asked to stop supplying N95 respirators to Canada.

U.S.-based company 3M said Friday that it has been asked by the Trump administration not to supply N95 respirators to Canada amid the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered Minnesota-based company to produce and sell as many medical-grade masks as the Federal Emergency Management Agency says it needs. He invoked the Defence Production Act in order to speed up the distribution of masks.

“The Administration also requested that 3M cease exporting respirators that we currently manufacture in the United States to the Canadian and Latin American markets,” a statement from the company read.

The company said the move raised “humanitarian” concerns for them.

“There are, however, significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to healthcare workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators,” the statement added.

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The statement also warned that limiting supply to other countries could lead to them “retaliating” with similar measures.

“If that were to occur, the net number of respirators being made available to the United States would actually decrease. That is the opposite of what we and the Administration, on behalf of the American people, both seek,” the company said.

The company was singled out for criticism Thursday by Trump.

“We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks,” Trump tweeted. “‘P Act’ all the way. Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing — will have a big price to pay!”

Global News has reached out to Health Minister Patty Hajdu’s office asking what the predicted impact of such a move would be on the domestic supply of respirators, but has not yet received a response.

3M CEO Mike Roman said earlier this week that the company is working closely with FEMA and is on track to double global production of N95 masks to two billion a year in 12 months.

Roman said 3M will boost production by 40 per cent to 50 million masks per month in about 60 days.

With files from The Associated Press

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