Trudeau Announces Help for Canadian Red Cross

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced more help for the Canadian Red Cross.   The federal government will give the aid organization $100 million to support both COVID-19, and natural disaster relief.

“Across Canada, national and community organizations are stepping up to support the most vulnerable in our fight against COVID-19. They are being asked to deliver the same services and support that we have always depended on, in much more challenging circumstances.,” Trudeau said.  The funding includes $41 million to address immediate COVID-19 needs.

The Red Cross will use this funding to:

• recruit and train volunteers and staff
• adapt its operations to the COVID-19 context
• support quarantine and isolation sites
• acquire personal protective equipment for its personnel and volunteers
• provide training to the health care sector and other essential workers on using personal protective equipment, and maintaining infection prevention and control measures within facilities
• expand their roster of public health and infection prevention and control specialists
• procure and deploy, as necessary, emergency health supplies and equipment, including a mobile field hospital, to prepare for future waves and outbreaks of COVID-19

$59 million will be used to support relief and recovery this year related to COVID-19, as well as future floods and wildfires.