Canada announces $56B in coronavirus aid package

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – Canada announced Wednesday an CAN$82 billion ($56 billion) aid package to help workers and businesses who are adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadians should not have to worry about not having the money to buy groceries and pay rent because they are out of work due to emergency measures like store, restaurant and movie theatre closures are introduced.

“You should be focused on your health,” he said, speaking in front of his home where he is in self-isolation after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.

A CAN$27 billion ($18 billion) aid package has been established to ease the financial pressure on individuals and businesses, as well as a CAN$55 billion ($38 billion) tax deferral tax plan to help businesses.

The Canadian provinces of Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia have declared states of emergencies, allowing for the governments to order the closure of bars, restaurants (except for take-out and drive-thrus), and to shutter public buildings like schools and libraries, and ban any venue where a large number of people gather such as movie theaters.

- US-Canada border closure

Trudeau also said temporarily closure of the world’s longest border between Canada and the U.S. to non-essential travel was a necessary step to try to slow the spread of the virus.

As of Wednesday morning, 598 Canadians were infected with the virus and there have been eight deaths. There are 6,535 cases in the U.S. and 116 deaths.

But Trudeau said Canada and the U.S. agreed to keep the 5,525-mile border open to commercial vehicles to maintain critical supply lines of goods like food and prescription drugs.

“Essential travel will continue,” Trudeau said.

Almost 200,000 people cross the border every day, as well as five million commercial vehicles annually carrying CAN$247 billion in goods, according to Canadian government figures.

The deal will allow Canadians wintering in warmer climes in the southern United States, to cross the border into Canada.

The deal that only essential goods will be allow to cross the border could be a nightmare, starting with a definition of “essential.”

As well, it is almost as easy to cross the border as stepping over your neighbor’s picket fence, given the immense length and numerous non-official crossing points.