VCREMP COVID – 19 Update: May 28th, 2020

Federal Government

• The federal government has received requests from both Quebec and Ontario to extend the periods of deployment for the members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are providing support.
• Prime Minister Trudeau will join the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, and UN Secretary- General António Guterres, in convening a special high-level meeting on May 28, 2020. Discussions will focus on expanding liquidity in the global economy and maintaining financial stability while protecting the improvements being made in helping less-developed countries.
• During the Tuesday morning press conference, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that the federal government has signed a contract with GM to produce 10 million facemasks. This contract will also provide jobs for workers in Oshawa where production has already begun.
• The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced an investment of up to $9.2 million to enhance the Youth Employment and Skills Program and will fund up to 700 new positions for youth in the agriculture industry. The additional funding will help the agriculture industry attract Canadians between the ages of 15 to 30, to assist with labour shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Department of National Defense announced the first series of calls for innovation that are focusing on the following three challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic:
  • Viable and effective processes and methods for safely and rapidly decontaminating enclosed work environments (e.g., buildings and modes of transportation) containing sensitive equipment;
  • Innovative material and designs to aid in decontamination of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), operational clothing and equipment for personnel responding to events involving biological hazards; and
  • Data gathering solutions to support the early detection and community-based monitoring of outbreaks of contagious diseases.

Alberta

• Alberta MLAs return to the legislature on May 27, 2020, where at least 10 pieces of legislation will be introduced this session, including:
  • Affirming parental rights to make important choices about their children’s education;
  • Strengthening public safety; and
  • Reducing red tape.
• As of July 1, 2020, businesses and non-AHS organizations will be required to access PPE directly through suppliers, as many companies are now developing and supplying PPE.
• Beginning in June, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta will be hearing some criminal trials in- person and via the Webex video conference. The court will begin by hearing cancelled trials that were originally scheduled between March 16 to June 26.
• The Town of Banff is once again welcoming tourists following a two month state of local emergency, however Banff National Park will not have services available until early June.
• The Government of Alberta has expanded the hairstylist apprenticeship program to include barber certification, to help get Albertans back to work sooner during the COVID-19 pandemic.