Federal COVID-19 update: support for Indigenous communities, new modelling data – October 30, 2020

Streamed live

At a news conference on Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau provides an update on the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic. He is joined by federal ministers Marc Miller (Indigenous services) and Ahmed Hussen (families, children and social development), as well as Dr. Theresa Tam (Canada’s chief public health officer) and Dr. Howard Njoo (the deputy chief public health officer). Drs. Tam and Njoo also present the latest federal epidemiological modelling data. Health officials say Canadians need to reduce the number of people they currently come into contact with by 25 per cent in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. The prime minister announces the federal government will provide $200 million in funding to support Indigenous communities. Indigenous early learning and child care facilities will receive $120.7 million to help them safely operate. The government will provide $25.9 million to help Indigenous post-secondary institutions with increased costs related to the pandemic, and $59 million will be provided to improve on-reserve community infrastructure.