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Across Canada, front-line officers face unpredictable environments, from wildfire smoke to hazardous materials. Respirators work only with a perfect facial seal, requiring users to be clean-shaven or have "easy to fit" faces. Officers with beards, hijabs, or certain facial features often cannot wear these masks and are excluded during emergencies.
Recognizing the need for a more inclusive solution, the RCMP launched the Inclusive Respirator Challenge through Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC). The goal was to design a respirator that could protect all officers, no matter their facial hair or face shape.
A challenge Win-Shield was ready to tackle
When the challenge was announced, Win-Shield was uniquely positioned to answer the call. Founded by Rob Ranson, the Manitoba-based company had already proven it could design and manufacture high‑performance PPE during the pandemic, producing over four million face shields used in Canada. Their experience in rapid prototyping, testing, and scaling gave them a distinct edge.
Ranson saw the challenge as both a technical and human problem. "We realized there was nothing available for people with beards," he explains. "Forty-four percent of men globally, and a third in North America, have facial hair. That's a huge portion of the workforce without proper protection."
Creating a universal mask
Selected through ISC, Win-Shield collaborated directly with RCMP field officers to prototype a solution: the Bearded Tactical Applications Mask (BTAM). Working with end users ensured real‑world feedback from those who would actually wear it.
The result was a game-changer. The BTAM seals around the mouth, nose, face, and around the neck maintaining protection for users with beards or hard to fit faces. Designed to meet P‑100 protection standards without powered fans or batteries, it will perform in challenging conditions such as wildfire smoke and pandemics.
The team quickly refined the design through bi-weekly virtual meetings and onsite visits in Surrey and Coquitlam, BC. These meetings included female officers, bearded officers, and Sikh officers wearing religious head coverings. "Getting direct input from the in-the-field officers was one of the smartest decisions we made," says Ranson. "Their unfiltered feedback kept us focused on what really mattered."
From the field to the front lines of defence
The BTAM's potential quickly drew the attention of Canada's defence community. Introductions and credibility from the program led to collaborations with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and the Royal Military College of Canada, where the mask underwent rigorous testing.
In one trial, a simplified version of the BTAM achieved a fit‑factor score far above the P‑100 standard. "We realized that our BTAM had the capability to perform at chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protection levels," says Ranson. "The experts told us that was unheard of for a lung‑powered respirator."
Canadian and international specialists were impressed by the results. This led to an invitation to present their devices to a sub-committee of NATO's Personal Protection Panel in Amsterdam where Win-Shield introduced its BTAM alongside two other new products – a compact Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) and a novel filter canister system. Five countries quickly expressed interest, and the company has now been asked to present again, this time at NATO's larger Physical Protection Panel, which includes representatives from 32 member nations, scheduled to be held in France this September.
A transformative journey
For Ranson, the ISC program has been the cornerstone of Win‑Shield's evolution. "This has been transformative, way beyond our wildest expectations," he says. "When we started, I never imagined we'd be in Amsterdam presenting to 32 NATO countries and being asked back."
ISC's structured milestones, funding, and credibility helped Win‑Shield grow from a small startup into a global innovator with a 15‑person team, nine technical advisors, and over 16 patent families. "As an SME, ISC allowed us to compete with companies that had over a thousand federal contracts," Ranson adds. "We had just one – and we were selected."
Protecting more than just faces
Beyond performance, the BTAM stands for inclusion. It empowers officers who were once excluded from critical duties, helping build a more equitable and effective workforce.
"We know what we're doing will save lives," Ranson reflects. "It'll keep people from being injured and let them go home to their families. That's not something you take lightly."
With new partnerships forming across defence, mining, and industrial sectors, and a growing list of 29 federal agencies identified as potential users at home, Win‑Shield's innovation is set to make Canada, and the world, safer for everyone.