Canada to infuse $13.9 bn to provinces for safe restart of economy

The funds will be released over a period of six to eight months

Canada-politics-indigenous-investigation-homicide Canadian PM Justin Trudeau | AFP

The Canadian Federal Government will pump CA$ 19 billion ($ 13.99 billion) into the country’s provinces and territories as part of Safe Restart Agreement aimed at economic recovery with precautions being exercised to prevent another outbreak of COVID-19, an AP report reads. 

“Funding under the Safe Restart Agreement will help provinces and territories, who have had to respond to COVID-19 in unique ways and have already made major investments and will continue to do so, in critical areas, such as healthcare, childcare, and municipal services. First Ministers recognize that the territories and smaller jurisdictions face distinct challenges and circumstances, which will need to be addressed separately," said Canada's First Ministers in a joint statement on Thursday. 

The funds will be released over a period of six to eight months with an aim to make the economy more resilient to such an emergency in the future. 

Under the Safe Restart Agreement, workers with up to ten days of paid sick leave related to COVID-19. Job-protected sick leave legislation or regulation will be created in provinces and territories.

As per the agreement, funds will also be used to increase testing and contract tracing in provinces so that a future outbreak of COVID-19 is thwarted immediately. Besides this, funds will also be used to procure more PPE (personal protection equipment) for medical professionals and supportive mental health programs for Canadians facing substance abuse or other problems related to mental health.

Even though many sectors in Canada’s economy has reopened, PM Justin Trudeau has warned that a daily threat of COVID-19 will not disappear till a vaccine is available. 

“As we continue to deal with the impacts of the virus, we are committed to working with the provinces and territories to provide the support they need to help Canadians make it through this crisis. Together, our priority is to keep Canadians safe and healthy, while building a stronger, more resilient Canada for everyone,” he said. 

He also said that the pandemic had resulted not just in a health crisis but also an economic crisis. “When we talk about the recovery phase, it’s not just about making sure we can detect, control and prevent future outbreaks. It’s also about helping people, businesses and entire communities adjust to our new normal,” added.

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