Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will be speaking with the premiers today about how Ottawa can help provinces massively scale up their COVID-19 testing capacity to fend off a potential second wave of the novel coronavirus. He says testing needs to increase immediately in Ontario and Quebec, where the economies are starting to reopen but the number of new COVID-19 cases remains high. Trudeau first offered provinces a national framework on testing and contact tracing last week. He says he's received positive responses from across Canada so far and is set to further discuss the offer during

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is sending $75 million to organizations that help Indigenous people living in urban areas and off reserves through the COVID-19 pandemic. The government had previously promised $15 million in funding for services such as counselling, health care, food and supportive housing.More than a million Indigenous people live in cities or off reserves, Trudeau says, and they deserve good services that are culturally appropriate.The Liberals have promised $290 million for organizations representing First Nations, Metis and Inuit people, primarily

Autism Canada and Asthma Canada are just two of the organizations raising issues about the wearing of face masks. Even as she was encouraging people to wear masks in public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam warned people not to judge those who can't wear them. Asthma Canada's president says wearing a mask can trigger asthma symptoms.Autism Canada says adults and children who have trouble with sensory processing, as well as tactile, olfactory and nervous-system hypersensitivity could face serious challenges in wearing a mask.Deaf and hearing-impair

There are 80,142 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 44,775 confirmed (including 3,718 deaths, 12,822 resolved) Ontario: 23,774 confirmed (including 1,962 deaths, 18,190 resolved) Alberta: 6,735 confirmed (including 128 deaths, 5,637 resolved) British Columbia: 2,467 confirmed (including 149 deaths, 2,001 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,045 confirmed (including 57 deaths, 956 resolved) Saskatchewan: 620 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 494 resolved) Manitoba: 279 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 260 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 260 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 25

Quebec says limited outdoor gatherings will be permitted starting Friday as the province continues to record a downward trend of new COVID-19 cases. Deputy premier and Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault also announced today that dentist offices across the province, and hair salons outside the Montreal and Joliette regions can reopen on June 1. Guilbault says Quebecers will be allowed to host outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, from a maximum of three families, as long as they keep a two-metre distance from one another. She says the province recorded 71 new deaths from COVID-19, f

Canada's chief public health officer says there has been a social, cultural shift around the wearing of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. After first suggesting wearing a mask, Dr. Theresa Tam is now recommending covering your face when maintaining physical distance might not be possible. She says thinking it of as protecting each other from being exposed to the virus is a key concept for Canadians. Dr. Tam is again stressing that for summer, outside activities are better than inside and keeping a physical distance and hand washing will continue to be key.

Celestica Inc. has been contracted to build 7,500 ventilators in Newmarket, Ont., for a Canadian medical device company working on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.Financial terms of its contract with StarFish Medical Inc. weren't announced.Celestica says it intends to deliver the medical devices for treating patients with breathing problems to Health Canada in the fourth quarter of 2020.Celestica is a Toronto-based company with a global business that manufactures equipment for a variety of industries including health care, aerospace and information technology.Starfish is one of several

Large companies that receive bridge financing through a new federal loan program will have to give the government the option to take an ownership stake, or provide a cash equivalent.Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the terms will be the same for any company asking for help through the program that opens for applications today.He says the terms are designed to make sure companies using the program receive bridge loans, not bailouts, to get through COVID-19's economic disruptions.The Liberals have said the loans would be on commercial terms, and require companies to have already gone to banks

There are 79,112 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 44,197 confirmed (including 3,647 deaths, 12,497 resolved) Ontario: 23,384 confirmed (including 1,919 deaths, 17,898 resolved) Alberta: 6,716 confirmed (including 128 deaths, 5,584 resolved) British Columbia: 2,446 confirmed (including 146 deaths, 1,975 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,044 confirmed (including 56 deaths, 95 resolved) Saskatchewan: 599 confirmed (including 6 deaths, 470 resolved) Manitoba: 279 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 257 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 260 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 250