Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Ottawa budgets $5B to buy COVID-19 pharmaceuticals

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Mar, 2021 07:15 PM
  • Ottawa budgets $5B to buy COVID-19 pharmaceuticals

The Public Health Agency of Canada expects to spend up to $5 billion on vaccines and other COVID-19 treatments.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand previously said vaccines alone would cost at least $1 billion but the specific contract costs are protected by confidentiality clauses with drug makers.

Federal budget documents show $5.3 billion was approved in December for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, including the purchase of doses, research and development.

Last month $5 billion of that was shifted from the current fiscal year into 2021-22 because most of the vaccine doses Canada is buying aren't being delivered until after March 31, which is when the federal fiscal year ends.

Canada is guaranteed to buy more than 240 million doses of seven different vaccines if all are approved, with only 6.5 million doses expected before the end of March.

The Public Health Agency has not said specifically how much of the $5 billion is going to vaccines versus other COVID-19 medications.

MORE National ARTICLES

Loblaw ready to help COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Loblaw ready to help COVID-19 vaccine rollout
Loblaw president Sarah Davis says the grocery and pharmacy retailer's supply chain is able to deliver vaccines and begin administering the shots the day it receives them.

Loblaw ready to help COVID-19 vaccine rollout

COVID cases tripled among health-care workers

COVID cases tripled among health-care workers
Data shows 44,078 COVID cases reported among Canada's health-care workers from July 23, 2020 to Jan. 15, 2021, bringing the total number to 65,920 since the pandemic began.

COVID cases tripled among health-care workers

Hybrid Parliament saves millions: PBO

Hybrid Parliament saves millions: PBO
The report notes that a decrease in travel also has the effect of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by about 2,972 metric tons of CO2 equivalent.

Hybrid Parliament saves millions: PBO

Blinken to virtually visit Canada, Mexico Friday

Blinken to virtually visit Canada, Mexico Friday
Blinken will meet with Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau and other members of the federal cabinet, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

Blinken to virtually visit Canada, Mexico Friday

Export, investment to spur B.C. growth: Central 1

Export, investment to spur B.C. growth: Central 1
The Vancouver-based firm predicts growth of 4.2 per cent this year, 4.5 per cent in 2022 and just below three per cent in 2023.

Export, investment to spur B.C. growth: Central 1

2 COVID19 deaths for Wednesday

2 COVID19 deaths for Wednesday
There are 108 new cases of COVID-19 in Vancouver Coastal, 259 new cases in Fraser, 35 in Island, 30 in Interior, 20 in Northern and four new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

2 COVID19 deaths for Wednesday