Canada reached another grim milestone in its fight against the pandemic Monday as COVID-19-related deaths in the country surpassed 15,000.
The mark was reached after another 37 deaths were reported in Quebec Monday. To date, a total of 15,121 people have now succumbed to the virus.
Another 3,304 cases were also reported, though the increase in infections is limited by several provinces and territories withholding their data over the holidays. As of Monday evening, there have been 554,780 lab-confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Canada, while over 466,000 infections are now considered resolved and a total of 18 million tests have been administered.
Health Minister Patty Hadju’s office also confirmed that the Moderna vaccine was set to arrive in the Yukon and Northwest Territories Monday, with both receiving 7,200 doses each.
The less stringent temperature requirements of transporting the vaccine, which was approved last week, have made it the main choice to be administered in rural areas and long-term care homes. No information was provided yet on when Nunavut — the territory with the most COVID-19 cases — would get the vaccine, though the government said that the rest of the 168,000 doses would be delivered to provinces and territories “this week.”
Another province also identified another case of the new COVID-19 variant, with health authorities in Alberta linking it someone who recently arrived arrived from the U.K. To date, British Columbia and Ontario have both reported cases caused by the new variant, with several health experts warning that the new mutation has most likely already spread to other provinces.
The Ontario government also faced criticism Monday after it said that it cut back on administering their coronavirus vaccines during the Christmas holidays. According to the province’s ministry of health, the cut was due to staff shortages over the holidays.
“As with any holiday season, ensuring proper staff coverage can be challenging,” the ministry said in a statement. “Schedules for vaccination clinics were adjusted over the holidays to ensure that there was no impact on staffing levels within the long-term care homes or for the hospitals operating the clinics.”
The province did not report any new case data on Monday, with cases and deaths there standing at 171,416 and 4,377, respectively.
Alberta also marked over 1,000 deaths from the virus on Monday after health authorities announced that 112 people had died between Dec. 23 to Dec. 27. The province’s caseload also stands at 98,269 after 917 new cases were announced over the last 24 hours.
“This tragic milestone is more than a number or statistic,” said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in a statement. “It represents more than 1,000 mothers, wives, fathers, husbands — empty spaces around the table that can never be filled.”
Quebec added another 2,265 cases of the coronavirus on Monday as well, pushing it’s total infections to 194,930. Another 37 deaths were reported, while Monday marked the second day in the row the province logged more than 2,200 new cases.
Manitoba added another 107 cases of the virus, while both B.C. and Saskatchewan did not release new data due to the holidays.
In Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia added one new infection while Newfoundland and Labrador reported another two cases.
Nunavut added on new lab-confirmed infection, though both the Northwest Territories and the Yukon did not release new data.
To date, over 81,247,000 people have been infected with the novel coronavirus worldwide according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. A total of 1,772,869 people have since succumbed to the virus, with the U.S., Brazil and India continuing to lead in both cases and deaths.
— With files from The Canadian Press
© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
—
Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Sentencing hearing continues for University of Waterloo gender studies class stabber
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio making a difference off the pitch as well as on it
Inequality has broad impacts on the health of Montreal children, report finds
Liberal majority victory shifts political landscape in New Brunswick
Thomson Reuters acquires AI accounting assistant developer Materia
Legault ‘shocked’ by Montreal teacher scandal, pledges to toughen secularism measures
Ontario aiming to become energy superpower, Energy Minister Stephen Lecce says
Sonia Furstenau staying on as B.C. Greens leader in wake of indecisive election
