“Adaptability is the key to resilience.”

The first three quarters of 2019-2020 gave little indication of the challenges that the world would face when COVID-19 arrived in Canada in January.

The lives and work of our employees changed dramatically, whether we found ourselves wearing a mask all day in a donor centre or working remotely for the first time. All of us have had to adapt. This year’s annual report is a celebration of Canadian Blood Services’ adaptability, the quality that has allowed its employees and volunteers to face a new normal together.

Understanding that the response to COVID-19 is still front of mind for many, we have included details in the report about our pandemic response, even when those details fell outside of the 2019-2020 fiscal year. For each of our strategic focus areas, you can find information about the work Canadian Blood Services did in 2019-2020 fiscal year, as well as information on how that work was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What we accomplished in 2019-2020

• We maintained a strong blood inventory for the first 10 months of the fiscal year, exceeding our 98-per-cent fulfillment target for hospital orders.
• The discard rate for red blood cells was the lowest in our history at 5.7 per cent.
• We planned the launch of three plasma proof-of-concept sites in Sudbury, Ontario; Lethbridge, Alberta; and Kelowna, British Columbia. The Sudbury site, after facing construction delays due to COVID-19, is now operating at a temporary location.
• We developed an interim product selection process for plasma protein and related products, as well as expanded our formulary team so that we can better meet the growing needs of patients who rely on products like immune globulin.
• In the wake of the Humboldt bus tragedy, we supported the launch of Green Shirt Day, a new initiative promoting awareness for organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
• We facilitated 190 kidney transplants through the Canadian Transplant Registry.
• We banked 3,581 cord blood units, and 25 of those units provided stem cells for transplant patients in Canada and around the world. More than 60 per cent of units in the bank are from donors from racialized groups, and over 25 per cent come from babies of mixed or multiple ethnicities.

To read about our accomplishments and experiences from 2019-2020, you can visit the annual report here.