A plasma collection site in Winnipeg where a patient died following a donation is reopening following a brief shutdown by Health Canada. Grifols confirmed Tuesday it had started a phased resumption of plasma collection activities at donation centres in Winnipeg and Edmonton in alignment with Health Canada. The two locations reopening include Innovation Drive in Winnipeg and Windermere in Edmonton. The company said it will operate at reduced appointment levels with capacity increasing gradually. Grifols voluntarily paused plasma donation collection in August. The company had been under fire following the deaths of two people in Winnipeg who died after plasma donations at their locations. One person died in October 2025 after making a donation at the Grifols location on Taylor Avenue. A second person died after making a donation at the Innovation Drive location in January 2026. Health Canada has not linked either death to plasma donation. In a statement, a Health Canada spokesperson said it has conducted compliance visits at the Winnipeg and Edmonton sites that are opening to ensure staff training, corrective actions and operational controls were in place, and Grifols is expected to demonstrate ongoing compliance as they resume operations. “Health Canada will maintain increased oversight through ongoing compliance verification activities, including both scheduled and unannounced inspections,” the spokesperson said. “Health Canada is ready to conduct additional readiness assessments on any future site reopenings and will take future compliance and enforcement action, if warranted.” Health Canada said the licence for the Taylor Avenue location remains suspended at this time.
