A summary of the day's activities of Friday, August 21, follows.

Statement of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford

Premier Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford together announced an agreement between the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and 3M Canada on a joint investment to expand a manufacturing facility for N95 respirators in Brockville, Ontario. Penny Wise, President of 3M Canada, Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada, Vic Fideli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, and Steve Clark, Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes joined Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford.

Both levels of government are investing $23.33 million to support 3M's capital investment of $70 million. Beginning in early 2021, the facility will produce 25 million N95 respirators for the Government of Canada and 25 million for the Government of Ontario per year over five years. This will provide 50 million N95 respirators annually to help health care workers, first responders and other essential workers with the equipment they need "to continue their vital work".

Premier Ford said this was a "proud moment." The investment provides a made-in-Ontario solution to reduce the province's dependence on foreign supply chains. Prime Minister Trudeau indicated the expanded facility will produce enough respirators to meet domestic and export market demand throughout the pandemic and beyond.

Federal Government Briefing

  • The Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health
  • Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
  • Dr. Howard Njoo, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer of Canada

There have been 123,873 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 9,054 deaths. Eighty-nine per cent of people have now recovered. Labs across Canada have tested 4,970,000 people for COVID-19 to date. Over the past week, an average of 48,000 people were tested daily, with one per cent testing positive. On average, 380 cases were reported daily during the most recent seven days.

Dr. Tam reiterated the spread of the virus is under manageable control. She pointed out that surges are to be expected as social and economic restrictions are being lifted across Canada. Dr. Tam noted that the capacity to control and contain the spread of the virus has greatly improved because of our experience and that of other countries in dealing with the virus.

Minister Hajdu provided an update on plans for the "next phase of life with COVID". She said that public health officials are preparing for the worst during the fall and winter seasons when people spend more time indoors.

As for the other health crisis, the opioid crisis, Minister Hajdu underlined the importance for a safer supply of opioid. She announced that Health Canada had launched a public consultation on supervised consultation sites and services.

Minister Hajdu indicated the federal government was about to launch a social media campaign on COVID-19 to reach out to young people. Dr. Tam added it was an opportune moment to reach out to youth as they are preparing to return high school, college, or university. While Dr. Tam did confirm a downward slope in infection among young people, she acknowledged that ongoing communication was required as infection in young people can drive growth in other age groups that are more vulnerable to serious outcomes.

Minister Hajdu, Dr. Tam and Dr. Njoo said vaccines have never been mandatory in Canada. Minister Hajdu added, "We have used awareness raising to educate Canadians on the advantages of a vaccine," signaling that the federal government will use the same approach for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Statement of Ontario Premier Doug Ford

There is nothing add beyond the 3M announcement with Prime Minister Trudeau.

Statement of Quebec Premier François Legault

Premier Legault spoke with reporters in Bécancour after meeting with local elected officials. Donald Martel, MPP for Nicolet-Bécancour joined the Premier.

The Premier stated he had an excellent meeting with the mayors and prefects of the Centre-du-Québec region regarding the health situation in the region. The mayors agree with the provincial government. They soon want to replace the CHSLD's with senior citizens' homes to have more suitable and more widely spaced spaces for the elderly.

In addressing the economic situation, Premier Legault noted that he discussed the government's new three-pronged economic development approach with local elected officials. First, the employees of Investissements Québec and the Ministère du développement économique will be merged into a single organization with approximately 800 to 900 employees. Second, high-speed Internet will be installed in the Centre-du-Québec region within two years at the most, i.e. the end of the government mandate. Finally, the government seeks to encourage Quebecers to buy their food in Quebec. Fifty per cent of the food consumed by citizens already comes from the province, and the Premier wants to increase this percentage by supporting the region's farmers through subsidies or by reducing electricity costs. He also says that the number of greenhouses will be doubled by the end of his mandate.

Finally, the government wants to boost the province's economy by passing Bill 61 this fall. When questioned on the broad outlines of Bill 61, the Premier emphasized the need to reduce delays in environmental assessments. According to Premier Legault, it is not normal to wait three to four years to start an infrastructure project.

Elsewhere in Canada

Alberta

On August 20, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced 103 new cases of COVID-19, for 1,084 active cases in the Province. Currently, 43 individuals are in hospital, 12 of whom are in intensive care.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw also provided a review of COVID-19 and its effects on children in advance of the start of the school year. Dr. Hinshaw assured Albertans that the Canadian Pediatric Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other pediatric organizations agree that a safe return to school is critical to the physical and mental health and wellbeing of students and families. Dr. Hinshaw summarized the available information to the following points:

  • First, if children are infected with COVID-19, they are more likely to be mildly sick, and fewer are hospitalized;
  • Secondly, childhood infections, particularly in younger children, do not seem to drive community transmission. This was equally true in places like Sweden, where elementary schools never closed and in Finland, where schools did close;
  • Third, young children seem less likely than adults to infect others while older children seem to transmit infection in a way more similar to adults; and
  • Finally, it is abundantly clear that one of the main predictors of successful school reopening in COVID is the level of community transmission outside the school.

Dr. Hinshaw announced that she is sending her children back to school in September, but clarified that there is no wrong decision about a return to school or online learning - each parent is uniquely positioned to make the best decision for their family, and school authorities have worked to provide innovative options to support student learning wherever that may be.

Dr. Hinshaw also announced that Alberta has posted updated guidance on how the province will respond to any students or staff who have symptoms in schools and what protocols will be followed if COVID-19 cases are identified at school. These include Guidance for school re-entry - scenario 1 and implementing school re-entry guidance in addition to the updated resource guide for COVID-19 outbreaks in schools; and the Alberta Health Daily Checklist.

British Columbia

This morning, British Columbia Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety Mark Farnworth announced stricter enforcement of the province's public health measures.

Police and other provincial enforcement officers will be able to issue $2,000 violation tickets to owners or organizers contravening the provincial health officer's (PHO) order on gatherings and events. They will also be able to issue $200 violation tickets to individuals who actively encourage others to attend gatherings or events that do not comply with established requirements, or refuse to leave or disperse when directed to do so by enforcement officers, and individuals who refuse to comply with requests to follow the PHO order or safe operating procedures of a restaurant, bar or other licensed establishment, or respond with abusive behaviour towards employees.

Minister Farnworth's announcement comes as B.C.'s active caseload of the disease continues to rise. On Thursday, Minister of Health Adrian Dix, and Dr. Réka Gustafson, British Columbia's Deputy Provincial Health Officer, announced 80 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 4,825 cases in British Columbia, and 2 additional deaths.

The new measures are enacted under the provincial state of emergency, using the extraordinary powers of the Emergency Program Act (EPA) in ongoing support of B.C.'s COVID-19 response and Restart Plan.

Minister Farnworth said many of the recent spikes in cases are coming from private, indoor parties. "These orders will help us put a stop to the selfish acts of a small minority of British Columbians, who are threatening to erode the progress our province has made in controlling COVID-19," he added.

The enforcement will target anyone hosting events or gatherings that are larger than 50 people, not keeping a list and contact information of people who attend an event or anyone who hosts more than five guests in vacation accommodation.

Anyone wanting to report concerns of venues or individuals not following COVID-19 regulations can contact their local bylaw office or the local police's non-emergency line. The province will also use the help of liquor, cannabis and gaming inspectors, community safety unit inspectors, WorkSafeBC and conservation officers to issue tickets as needed.

Minister Farnworth said future escalations in enforcement will be considered if necessary.

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