â–º Listen Live

Trudeau announces $1.1-billion for COVID-19 research and development

Ottawa is putting $1.1-billion towards research and development over COVID-19.

In his daily address, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the funding will go towards working on a vaccine, clinical trials and expanded testing.

The announcement includes $115-million for research into vaccines and treatments, $662-million for clinical trials and $350-million for national testing and modelling.

Trudeau says “testing is key”, and while Canada has reached 20-thousand tests for the virus being done on a daily basis, he says testing needs to be expanded before the country can be reopened.

- Advertisement -

The creation of a “COVID-19 immunity task force”, which will include a series of Canada’s top doctors, was also announced.

Trudeau says the task force will focus on blood testing to track and understand immunity to COVID-19.

Trudeau also announced that requests from Ontario and Quebec to send military members to help at long-term care homes in the province has been approved.

However, Trudeau says calling in the military to assist in long term-care homes isn’t a long term solution, adding “We shouldn’t have soldiers taking care of seniors.”

When asked about a hateful attack on an elderly Asian man in Vancouver, and other similar incidents across the country, Trudeau says “intolerance and racism have no place in our country.”

Something going on in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].

Continue Reading

cfbv Now playing play

Related Articles

Latest News

Property sales rise and fall across the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District

The Bulkley Valley and Lakes District saw mixed results...

Report makes six recommendations on event safety after Lapu Lapu festival tragedy

A report commissioned by the B.C. government after a deadly attack at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver makes a number of recommendations to improve security at public events.

Shoreline health survey being conducted at Francois Lake

Francois Lake’s shoreline is getting a checkup this summer...

B.C. SPCA welcomes proposed ban on exotic cats

The B.C. SPCA is welcoming proposed regulations from the B.C. government to ban all exotic cat species. 

RCMP seeking two men after explosion outside MLA Bowinn Ma’s North Van office

RCMP have released images of two men they believe were involved in an explosion last month in North Vancouver, which damaged the front door of the building housing the constituency office of B.C. NDP MLA and cabinet minister Bowinn Ma.