Ottawa has announced $469 million in federal support for fish harvesters who have been ineligible for other aid initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announced the support, which will come in the form of an industry-specific benefit and a grant.The Fish Harvester Benefit, structured similarly to the previously announced federal wage subsidy, offers income support covering 75 per cent of losses for harvesters losing 25 per cent or more of their income this year.The Fish Harvester Grant is a sector-specific grant similar to the Canada Emergency Business Acc

The Bank of Canada says there are signs in the country's financial markets that suggest concern about the ability of companies to weather the COVID-19 economic crisis.The central bank has spent the last two months making a flurry of policy decisions that has seen it slash its target interest rate and embark on an unprecedented bond-buying program to ease the flow of credit.The report suggests these measures have helped ease liquidity strains and provide easy access to short-term credit for companies and households.But it is warning this morning that a cash-flow problem for businesses seeing sh

There are 72,278 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 39,931 confirmed (including 3,220 deaths, 10,470 resolved) Ontario: 21,236 confirmed (including 1,765 deaths, 15,845 resolved) Alberta: 6,407 confirmed (including 120 deaths, 5,076 resolved) British Columbia: 2,376 confirmed (including 132 deaths, 1,859 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,024 confirmed (including 51 deaths, 870 resolved) Saskatchewan: 577 confirmed (including 6 deaths, 385 resolved) Manitoba: 278 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 251 resolved), 12 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 24

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says whether you should be wearing a mask in public depends on what's happening in your community and what you're doing. She says masks are beneficial in areas with community transmission of COVID-19, and in areas where it's difficult to stay away from others. That includes in certain stores and on public transit. But she says mandatory mask rules could disadvantage vulnerable people who can't afford or get access to one. "Canada will use a newly-approved antibody test" Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Canada will use a newly-approve

Quebec is reporting 89 new deaths related to COVID-19 today, bringing the toll to 3,220. Premier Francois Legault says the province now has 39,931 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 706 cases. Legault says the province continues to miss its testing target of 14,000 tests per day, and is only able to administer 9,000 per day. The premier is once again urging people to wear masks when they leave the house, but says the government won't make wearing them mandatory for now.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says all Canadians should have access to two weeks of sick leave benefits as provinces start moving to reopen their economies. He says they will otherwise face an impossible choice of staying home to protect others from infection or being able to pay their bills. He says the government should cover the sick leave though the Canada Emergency Response Benefit or the employment insurance system. Singh says he will put the proposal forward as a motion in the House of Commons. The federal government declined to include the proposal its unanimous consent motion today, but E

Students and recent graduates will be able to apply for financial relief from the federal government on Friday.The Canada Emergency Student Benefit will provide students $1,250 per month for up to four months, with an extra $750 for students with disabilities or dependents.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says students should preemptively create an account with the Canada Revenue Agency.The federal government is launching the regional relief recovery fund for businesses that don't qualify for other federal relief programs during the COVID-19 crisis.Several weeks ago, the government announced almo

Justin Trudeau says it's still too early for Canada to confront the challenges that will come with reopening the shared border with the United States.The prime minister says with the ban still in effect for another week, he's not ready to announce an extension just yet.A source familiar with the ongoing discussions between the two countries tells The Canadian Press that Canada has requested another 30-day extension to the current ban on non-essential travel.The source, who isn't authorized to share details of the talks publicly, says it will likely be several days before the U.S. formally agr

Health Canada says it has authorized the first COVID-19 serological test for use in the country to detect antibodies specific to the virus.DiaSorin, an Italian multinational biotechnology company, had developed the LIAISON test that was also recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.In a statement Tuesday, Health Canada says it will be used in Canadian laboratories to detect COVID-19 antibodies and help contribute to a better understanding of whether people who have been infected are immune to the virus.Health Canada says further research will also help understand the relation