CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Hello everyone.

It’s good to be here this morning to answer questions with the doctors, as usual, as well as Minister Duclos, Minister Anand, and Minister LeBlanc.

Our lives have changed dramatically over the past few months.

And for the young people who are still trying to find their place in the world, this change is particularly difficult.

Earlier this week, I had a chance to speak to high school students at the Ottawa Catholic School Board’s Virtual Academy.

We talked about what this pandemic has been like for them, their family, and their friends.

And just like young people always do, they had a lot of great questions.

One student, Laiya, asked how long it would be until we have a vaccine for COVID-19. 

As I told Laiya, we’re coming at this from every angle, whether that’s investing in Canadian research or securing the world’s most promising candidate vaccines.

Canadian expertise is one of our greatest assets in combatting this virus.

That’s why, in April, we invested over $1 billion in Canada’s Plan to Mobilize Science to fight COVID‑19.

As part of this plan, we invested in the Strategic Innovation Fund, which supports researchers across Canada in developing and manufacturing vaccines.

This morning, I want to let Laiya and her class to know – along with everyone else who’s following this – that we’re taking yet another step forward.

Today, I can announce that we are investing $214 million for made-in-Canada vaccines.

To begin with, our government is providing up to $173 million for Medicago, to advance their vaccine candidate and create a production facility in Quebec City.

We have also reached an agreement with them to supply up to 76 million doses of their vaccine.

This is about securing potential vaccines for Canadians, while supporting good jobs in research.

On that note, the second part of today’s investment is for the Vancouver-based biotech company, Precision NanoSystems.

They’re also making progress with a vaccine candidate, so we’re allocating up to $18.2 million for their development and testing.

The final piece of this made-in-Canada investment is over $23 million through the Industrial Research Assistance Program for earlier-stage vaccine candidates being developed across the country.

From Dartmouth to Burnaby, Canadian researchers are doing great work and we’re here to support that. 

Of course, it’s not just Canadian researchers who are working on vaccine options.

Around the world, the best and the brightest are coming together to find a solution to this pandemic.

Canada has direct agreements with a range of vaccine developers for their most promising candidates.

And through our investment in GAVI’s COVAX Facility and Advance Market Commitment, we also have access to additional doses for Canadians as part of their international program.

When a vaccine is ready, Canada will be too.

While work keeps going to develop vaccines, we must continue to use the tools at our disposal to keep people safe.

Our government is working tirelessly to help the provinces and territories increase their testing capacity.

And today, I have good news to announce on that front as well.

We have now received hundreds of thousands of the Abbott Panbio rapid tests, which are currently being distributed across the country.

Two trucks of the other Abbott rapid test – ID NOW – have also arrived in Ontario, with more coming soon.

In the weeks to come, we will continue to support the provinces and territories as we get tests out to the frontlines.

I want to end today by talking about where we are with this pandemic, and where we need to go from here.

Yesterday, Canada had 2,788 new cases of COVID-19.

This is the highest-ever number of new cases of COVID-19.

We have to get these numbers down.

This is serious, and everybody must do their part.

Your loved ones with pre-existing conditions, your parents, your grandparents – they’re counting on you.

Our frontline workers, our nurses and doctors – they’re counting on you, too.

People’s lives are at stake.

We can’t afford to be careless or think that this virus will just go away on its own.

So please keep following your local public health guidelines. Please wear a mask and keep your distance.

And if you haven’t already, please join the 4.8 million Canadians who have downloaded the free COVID Alert app.

In the spring, we flattened the curve once before, and I know that we can do it again this fall.

We beat that first wave and saved lives.

I know we can do it again.

Thank you, everyone.