Some provinces have reserve inventory mechanisms in place for hospitals and institutional pharmacies. Those mechanisms aren't in place, however, for community settings. That's something we've recommended, and we are definitely putting the idea on the table. A discussion is certainly warranted to determine which critical medicines should be stockpiled. Inventories could be managed on a dynamic basis to take into account expiry dates and prevent wastage. Surely, that's a viable option.
That said, it's not the only option. A shortage can occur when supply drops or demand rises. The shortage in this situation is largely due to increased demand. While not every shortage can be avoided, this option would give the provinces and the country additional tools to deal with these types of situations.