Canada buying 126 freezers, including 26 ultra-cold ones, to hold millions of doses of vaccines

Federal Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Canada is working on an "end-to-end" chain for handling new COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they're delivered to Canada.

That includes buying 126 freezers, including 26 ultra-cold ones, to hold millions of doses of vaccines that need to be kept at extraordinarily low temperatures.

The government is also seeking private bidders to run the logistics, and determining whether the military has a role to play.

Anand says storing and transporting vaccines safely is a top priority, especially when they have short shelf lives.

Government officials say manufacturers of promising vaccine candidates are emphatic that their products not go to waste, which also means deliveries won't start until Health Canada has approved them for use.