COVID-19 pandemic in Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic in Canada is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached Canada on January 27, 2020, after an individual who had returned to Toronto from Wuhan, Hubei, China, tested positive.

Quotes

(Quotes are in chronological order)

2020

Doug Ford Premier of Ontario

The Honourable Michelle Rempel

Prime Minister Trudeau

• It is literally a nightmare. I actually have trouble sleeping. I have really bad anxiety,... out thousands of dollars every month
  • Richmond Hill landlord The province says Bill 184 protects both landlords and tenants. Here's why both sides hate it (Katerina Georgieva · CBC News · Posted: Jul 11, 2020 6:00 AM ET | Last Updated: July 12, 2020)

• As a result of rising COVID-19 numbers, I am asking everyone to limit their trips outside of the home, except essential reasons like going to work, school, getting groceries, or for medical appointments. Families should not allow visitors to their homes & avoid social gatherings.
  • Doug Ford[1], Premier of Ontario, via tweet November 16, 2020

• The issue of domestic vaccine manufacturing supply was identified as an issue after the H1N1 pandemic. This issue in and of itself should not have come as a surprise to the Prime Minister or to the Health Minister[2] or to the Procurement Minister[3] when looking at a COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan.
  • Conservative Health critic MP Michelle Rempel Garner[4] in Trudeau warns COVID-19 vaccine will come later to Canada than other countries published Nov 24, 2020

• Mr. Speaker, as I stand here today, I think of the young men who died taking Vimy Ridge. I think of the Greatest Generation who grew up during the Depression and fought through WWII. They showed us how to fight for what we believe in and how to sacrifice for what we hold dear. Today, across this country, the last members of this Greatest Generation live in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. They’re in their small apartments and the homes they built so long ago with their own hands. They are the ones most threatened by this disease. They fought for us all those years ago. And today we fight for them. We will show ourselves to be worthy of this magnificent country they built. And for them and for their grandchildren, we will endure. We will persevere. And we will prevail.
  • Justin Trudeau in Statement in the House of Commons on the challenges facing Canadians related to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and economic recovery (11 April 2020); the address, regarding the delivery of a massive Covid-19 related economic aid package in Parliament, also coincided with the commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and several reports of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes throughout Canada, particularly in Ontario and Quebec.

• Vandalizing cellphone towers does nothing but threaten emergency services and impact the daily lives of Canadians across the country.
  • Justin Trudeau in Statement on Twitter condemning acts of vandalism against communications infrastructure by conspiracy theorists during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis (6 May 2020)

• If you're risking your health to keep this country moving and you're making minimum wage, you deserve a raise.
  • Justin Trudeau in Statement announcing a pay hike agreement for essential workers across the provinces during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis (7 May 2020)

• Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, kids. It’s a special day for all the people who are mothers to us: our moms, stepmoms, grandmothers and older sisters. So let’s show them how much we love and care about them. You might want to get up early to make her breakfast or ask Dad to help you get her some flowers. Or, if you’re not together this year because of the virus or other reasons, you can draw her a card, or set up a video call. Whatever you do, I’m sure it will make her day and express how much you love her, how much you need her and how much she has your full support and love during this difficult time. And, all the time as well.
  • Justin Trudeau in A Mother's Day message to Canadian children during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis (9 May 2020)

• Your voice, your talents, and your passion are needed now more than ever. Enjoy this moment - and all the best to you and your fellow graduates in the years to come. This is only the beginning of an incredible journey, I’m sure.
  • Justin Trudeau in Statement on Twitter congratulating University of Toronto Class of 2020 medical student Chika Stacy Oriuwa, for being the first black woman valedictorian to graduate the university's medical school (2 June 2020); Trudeau's message, and Oriuwa's milestone achievement, came at a watershed moment for visible minorities in Canada: a wave of international protests against anti-Black discrimination and racial inequality in the wake of a police brutality incident in the United States, simultaneously occurring amid the Covid-19 pandemic crisis disproportionately affecting the health and well-being of communities of colour.

• You understand not just the value, but the power, of community better than most. And that's why I trust you will be the 21st century's greatest generation. You know what is wrong with the world and how to fix it. Your job is not only to challenge people like me, but to bring us along.
  • Justin Trudeau in Commencement address to the class of 2020 at Carleton University, which was broadcast nationally for all graduates commemorating their achievements remotely due to social distancing measures imposed amid the Covid-19 pandemic crisis (10 June 2020); Trudeau used the speech to draw parallels between the politically-engaged "Generation Z," coming of age during massive social upheaval and global paradigm shifts in the 21st century, and the "Greatest Generation" who had witnessed and endured major changes in society as a result of the Great Depression and World War II. (Video)

• 220 million through the COVID‑19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to buy vaccine doses for low and middle-income countries
  • Government of Canada announcement "Canada’s aid and development assistance in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic" (September 25, 2020)

• This is not the first time our country has been called to stand united and strong. In the face of change, our Greatest Generation showed us that overcoming crisis isn’t easy. They didn’t give up. And neither can we.
  • Justin Trudeau in In a televised address to the country following the Speech from the Throne that opened the second session of the 43rd Parliament, Trudeau once more invokes the legacy of the "Greatest Generation" who mounted a collective response to World War II, to encourage Canadians to come together as a nation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic crisis (23 Sept 2020) (Transcript) (Video)

• We are in an unprecedented global pandemic that really sucks. ... This sucks, it really, really does. But we're going to get through it by doing what Canadians always do: by pulling together, by working hard, and by knowing that better days are coming.
  • Justin Trudeau in Off-the-cuff remarks at a press conference to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in response to a reporter's question about "COVID fatigue" impacting the public (27 Oct 2020); Trudeau also mentioned that his six-year-old son Hadrien had asked him if the pandemic would last forever, and that as a father, he lamented that his children and other Canadian children were not able to experience milestones or enjoy activities in the classroom.

• Be a superhero this Halloween, not a super-spreader. Wear your mask, keep your distance, and follow your local public health rules. And whatever you get up to tonight, stay safe. Happy Halloween, everyone!
  • Justin Trudeau in Statement on Twitter encouraging Canadians to follow public health protocols and modify their celebrations due to the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic (31 Oct 2020)

• It’s a wakeup call to us all, He was like a brother and a son to me at the same time. It’s been very challenging.
  • Schroeder, operations manager at Nutri-Nation Functional Foods , according to Young B.C. man’s COVID-19 death shocks Port Coquitlam coworkers published Nov 13, 2020

Mink farm

• Encouraging to hear progress of a 2nd coronavirus vaccine, this one ~94.5% effective.
  • Jason Kenney, Premier of Alberta, tweet November 16, 2020

• I think B.C. taxpayers are smart enough to see through all that — they can tell when someone is trying to put lipstick on a pig
  • whistleblower according to Unusable masks, catered meals, redone renos: B.C. health minister orders review of PHSA spending published November 30, 2020

• One common mutation was detected in both the animals and the farm workers
  • B.C. Centre for Disease Control in Mink on second B.C. farm test positive for COVID-19 posted December 24, 2020

• While early data suggests that these new variants may be more transmissible, to date there is no evidence that they cause more severe disease or have any impact on antibody response or vaccine effectiveness
  • Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in a statement on December 26, 2020 according to What Canadians need to know about the coronavirus variant in Ontario posted December 27, 2020

• I don’t have a comprehensive list of everybody amongst the hundreds of government political staff and senior officials and others who may have travelled abroad… I regret not having issued a very clear directive against international travel
  • Jason Kenney, Alberta Premier according to Tany Yao is sixth Alberta MLA confirmed to have travelled abroad amid COVID-19 posted January 3, 2020

2021

• We've had a huge demand. Over the past three weeks, it’s been a consistent flow of inquiries that we're trying to pair people up right now on flights… just to keep it even more safe within their travel bubble
  • Momentum Jets in Canadian snowbirds chartering private jets to fly south for faster COVID-19 vaccine access January 7, 2021

• Until we get to a level of herd immunity where we have around 70 per cent of our population vaccinated worldwide, there's going to be that question of transmission , and that's certainly a concern for us.
  • Jason Kindrachuk, a virologist with the University of Manitoba in Socializing after the vaccine: Experts say shot won't offer 'free pass' right away January 14, 2021

• There are no doubts that the impact of the pandemic will be felt for years to come. But for many Canadians, it could become a serious quality of life issue as they wait for their procedures
  • Canadian Medical Association President Dr. Ann Collins "Nearly 354K surgeries, procedures, consultations postponed due to COVID-19, report say" (March 4, 2021)

• “I weighed the balance and this is so important and such an emergency and while I have not done this before and will not again, I share this embargoed so that you are primed of what we found if it could help your decision making to help the USA and the globe as the U.S. leads the globe, rightly,”
  • Paul Alexander, Health and Human Services according to "McMaster-affiliated researcher broke embargo to leak hydroxychloroquine study to Trump administration: BMJ" (March 4, 2021)

• If we’re going into the third wave, I would expect to see a similar pattern as the second wave where we start to see things spreading in younger people and also children in schools first, and then eventually spreading this case to adults in the community.
  • Jean-Paul Soucy, infectious disease epidemiologist "More than 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases are caused by community exposures: StatCan" (March 4, 2021)

• Its a mixed bag there have been occasional closures and wide-spread closures, but we absolutely agree it should be high priority to keep schools open
  • Harvey Bischof, President of Ontario high school teachers federation "how schools in Canada stayed open" (March 5, 2021) CNN

• Pfizer officially submits application for COVID vaccine for kids aged 5-11 to Health Canada
  • "tweet" (October 18, 2021)

• I came back and CBSA issued me a $5,700 fine because they said I was returning without the mandatory PCR test
• The other option was to go further south and get the PCR test and wait for the results up to 72 hours. I had no medication, no clothes with me so I got the ticket.”
  • South Surrey resident, Marlane Jones COVID-19: Feds promise to clear British Columbians’ fines for travelling without PCR test (November 22, 2021)

• No matter where you plan to travel, make sure you check the Travel Advice and Advisories page for your destination twice: once when you are planning your trip, and again shortly before you leave.
  • Government of Canada COVID-19 - Global travel advisory (Effective date: December 15, 2021)

• Nova Scotia has done that by getting volunteers to do it. Being rigid and inflexible with testing approaches that are important in a pandemic means that you don’t act until you think you have something that’s perfect and reality. The systems that are deployed in Nova Scotia, for example, are much more practical and effective.
  • Dr. Victor Leung, a Canadian infectious diseases physician and medical microbiologist,‘Show the work’: Doctors skeptical of B.C.’s rapid test strategy, question Henry’s rationale (December 16, 2021 UPDATED)

• We are seeing COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the territory and we know that some cases are a direct result of visiting in homes
  • territory's chief public health officer, ** Dr. Michael Patterson Nunavut extends lockdown as COVID-19 infections surge in the territory (29, 2021 3:04PM EST)

2023

• It’s still "too early" to tell if the variant is spreading in Canada beyond sporadic cases.

PHAC scientists continue to monitor cases in Canada and track developments internationally

• Public Health Agency of Canada 21 cases of COVID subvariant XBB.1.5 detected in Canada, says PHAC (Updated Jan. 4, 2023 6:14 p.m. PST Published Jan. 3, 2023 8:35 p.m. PST)

See also

• COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
• COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
• COVID-19 pandemic in France
• COVID-19 pandemic in India
• COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
• COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
• Healthcare in Canada