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COVID-19 in Canada: Manitoba hands out $180,000 in fines, PM Trudeau grilled on if U.S. will get vaccine before Canada

COVID-19 in Canada: Manitoba hands out $180,000 in fines, PM Trudeau grilled on if U.S. will get vaccine before Canada

For more on today’s top stories and the spread of the novel coronavirus across the country, please refer to our live updates below throughout the day, as well as our COVID-19 news hub.

More than $180,000 in fines handed out in Manitoba

The Manitoba government confirmed that 100 tickets were issued between Nov. 23 and Nov. 29, related to individuals and businesses not following COVID-19 rules, totalling more than $180,000 in fines.

There were 22 $5,000 tickets issued to businesses, 48 tickets with $1,296 fines issued to individuals and 23 $298 tickets for failure to wear a mask in indoor public places. Seven band bylaw tickets were issued by Manitoba First Nations Police Service. There were also 202 warnings issued over the same time period.

The Church of God (Restoration) received a fine of $5,000, with individuals receiving a total of six tickets for $1,296. One $1,296 ticket was issued for the service at Springs Church.

This comes as Manitoba records its deadliest daily COVID-19 update, confirming 16 additional deaths in the last day.

The province also reported 282 new COVID-19 cases and the case positivity rate is at 13.1 per cent.

Trudeau still pushed for answers on COVID-19 vaccine delivery dates

At a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke about the prospect of Americans getting a COVID-19 vaccine before Canadians.

“In this COVID pandemic, keeping Canadians safe means getting a vaccine as quickly as possible, but it also means making sure that, that vaccine is safe for Canadians,” Trudeau said. “We will watch carefully what’s going on around the world, our Health Canada regulators are paying close attention, at the same time as they are currently evaluating the four vaccines that have come forward right now.”

“We know there are many different vaccine candidates out there, some are going to be more effective than others, some are going to arrive more quickly then others, and that’s why back in the summer we signed deals with seven different vaccine companies because we didn’t know which one would land first, or which one would face extra bumps in the road, or not.”

In terms of vaccine prioritization in Canada, the prime minister said there are “more conversations to come” but leaders across Canada are in agreement that there should be consistency across the country.

“The four vaccines that Health Canada is looking at right now, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, all are undergoing a process that Health Canada has accelerated but is ensure that we’re not cutting any corners,” Trudeau said. “Because we were so early in signing deals with so many different vaccine producers, we actually have a very good position for receiving vaccines and being able to distribute them to Canadians.”

The Ontario government is continuing to prepare for vaccine distribution and storage logistics in advance of their arrival in Canada.

“This is a massive undertaking and here in Ontario we are fortunate to have the health, industry and logistical expertise to get the job done,” a statement from Ontario Premier Doug Ford reads. “To support our planning, I've been on the phone with the Prime Minister, my fellow Premiers, the vaccine manufacturers, distributors, storage experts, and the health care sector to make sure we can roll out this vaccine when ready as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

“I will continue to press the federal government for more information on the status of these vaccines.”

Retired Gen. Rick Hillier said at a press conference on Tuesday that he anticipates that Ontario’s healthcare workers and more vulnerable populations will be prioritized when vaccine doses arrive.

In terms of the possibility of Americans getting vaccine before Canadians, Hillier said it would be an opportunity to learn from their experiences and prevent similar mistakes that come up.

Toronto cases shoot up past 700

Ontario reported 1,707 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, including 727 new cases in Toronto, 373 in Peel and 168 in York Region.

The province also confirmed seven more COVID-19 deaths, brining the total to 3,663.

There are currently 645 people with COVID-19 in Ontario hospitals, including 185 in ICUs.

Ontario completed 34,640 tests in the past day, with 34,046 tests currently under investigation.

There are still 109 long-term care homes with a COVID-19 outbreak, including 743 active resident cases and 509 active staff cases.

The province reported 299 new school-related COVID-19 cases, with 253 student cases and 46 staff cases. Six schools in Ontario are closed due to coronavirus concerns.

Quebec reported more than 1,100 cases

Quebec reported 1,177 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, including 306 cases in Montreal, 196 cases in Montérégie, 120 cases in Laval and 119 in the Quebec City region.

The province confirmed 28 more COVID-19 deaths, three of which occurred in the last 24 hours.

There are currently 719 people with COVID-19 in Quebec hospitals, including 98 in intensive care.

Check out our COVID-19 in Canada topic page for latest news, tips, health updates, cases and more.