Coronavirus Update: Ottawa pledges $100-billion in stimulus spending once pandemic is under control

Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. Ottawa announces fiscal update: Canada to spend $100-billion in stimulus postpandemic
2. Canada on track for 4,000 coronavirus patients in hospital by Christmas, eclipsing first wave
3. Moderna seeking U.S., EU emergency authorization for COVID-19 vaccine

In Canada, there have been at least 378,139 cases reported. In the last week 40,584 new cases were announced, 11 per cent more than the previous week. There have also been at least 299,972 recoveries and 12,130 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 12,940,839 tests.

Worldwide, there have been at least 62,730,726 cases confirmed and 1,459,317 deaths reported.

Sources: Canada data is compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data is from Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus explainers: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening • Mask-wearing rules • Back to school guide • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Ontario reported 1,746 new cases of COVID-19 and eight new deaths today. A Toronto-area school had an outbreak, with 18 students and one staff testing positive for COVID-19.
• In Saskatchewan, the government said in its Throne Speech that containing the spread of COVID-19 is its foremost priority. Today, the province announced 325 new cases.

In Ottawa, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released a fall economic statement showing the government plans to spend $100-billion in post-COVID-19 stimulus, and is projecting a deficit of $381.6-billion, up from the $343.2-billion forecast in early July.

• The fiscal update included several significant policy announcements including: taxing companies such as Netflix, increasing the maximum Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, offering government-backed loans for hard-hit sectors including tourism and hospitality, and $20-million for child care.
• While the government is in talks with airlines for a bailout, they announced support for Canadian airports. As well, the government said it is “exploring options to enhance” the LEEF, the loan program for large businesses that has only delivered two loans since launching six months ago.

COVID-19 hospitalizations: Canada is on track for 4,000 coronavirus patients in hospital by Christmas, according to mathematical modelling, but government restrictions and individual choices could turn the tide.

Coronavirus around the world

• In the United States, Moderna said will seek U.S. and European Union emergency authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine, which it says is 94.1 per cent effective. Its distribution is expected to be easier than Pfizer’s because, while it needs to be stored in a freezer, it does not require the ultra-cold temperature needed by Pfizer’s vaccine.

Coronavirus and business

Home prices have spiked in resort towns, cottage country and tourist areas across most of Canada, as the pandemic’s work-from-home trend pushes buyers to escape the city for nature and more space.

And: Toronto startup MindBeacon Software, which provides therapy over the internet, is preparing to go public on the Toronto Stock Exchange amid a surge in demand.

Globe opinion

• André Picard: “No matter how much politicians huff and puff and demand ‘straight answers,’ there are still a lot more unknowns that knowns. Anyone who thinks they can circle dates on the calendar and say with any certainty when vaccination will begin and when it will be completed is a fool.”
• Cathal Kelly: “The hypocrisy of sports leagues gets at what has really changed between early summer and now. Most people still believe in strictly following the rules, just not the ones they find personally inconvenient.”

More reporting

• ‘Pandemic’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year. On March 11, when the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a global pandemic, lookups on Merriam-Webster for pandemic spiked 15,806 per cent compared to the previous year
• Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, will go ahead with its celebrations, aware that the world’s eyes are upon it at this time of year
• Can wastewater epidemiology be used to track COVID-19?
• In Nunavut, judges are at odds over how to sentence offenders during the pandemic
• Restoring civil liberties in Canada after the pandemic is a concern for legal experts
• Outbreak declared after 62 cases linked to Ontario window company
• Eleven people test positive for COVID-19 after soccer game at York Region sports centre

Information centre

• Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
• Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
• The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating.
• Answers to your coronavirus and employment questions.

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