Vaccinating the world against COVID-19 is the best way of protecting everyone from COVID-19, because no one is safe until everyone is safe. The government and Canadians can make a difference together by helping to ensure that life-saving COVID-19 vaccines reach people regardless of where they live.
August 12, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
Vaccinating the world against COVID-19 is the best way of protecting everyone from COVID-19, because no one is safe until everyone is safe. The government and Canadians can make a difference together by helping to ensure that life-saving COVID-19 vaccines reach people regardless of where they live.
The Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, today announced that Canada intends to donate up to 10 million doses of the Janssen vaccine, which were secured through an advance purchase agreement, to other countries through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX). This would bring Canada’s total donations to the COVAX Facility to over 40 million doses. This is in addition to the $545 million Canada has committed to the COVAX Facility for vaccine procurement, distribution and delivery for low‑ and middle‑income countries through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).
The doses will be managed by the COVAX Dose Sharing mechanism and would help accelerate deliveries to countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, while also helping priority countries in other regions.
This contribution is possible because of the government’s proactive approach to secure a supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses to meet Canada’s needs. Canada will continue to prioritize the delivery of potentially excess doses through the COVAX Facility, as well as exploring other dose sharing options, as needed, to ensure vaccines get to those in need.
Canada is also matching, dollar for dollar, donations made by individual Canadians to UNICEF Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination fundraising campaign, called “Give A Vax,” up to a maximum of $10 million. The matching fund campaign will run to September 6, 2021.
Today’s announcement builds on Canada’s global efforts to fight COVID-19 around the world. Since the start of this crisis, Canada has committed more than $2.5 billion to support the global response to COVID-19, including $1.3 billion to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. Canada’s $1.3 billion contribution to the ACT-Accelerator, as part of the $2.5 billion that we have contributed to the global fight against the virus, is helping to provide 87 million vaccine doses to developing countries.
“Vaccinating the world against COVID-19 continues to be the best strategy to end the pandemic. With every vaccination, we are one step closer to bringing this pandemic under control. Together, with Canada’s contributions and the generosity of Canadians, we can get COVID-19 under control.”
– Karina Gould, Minister of International Development
“With a stable supply of vaccines in Canada, we remain committed to doing our part to help protect the world’s citizens. This contribution of Janssen vaccines to COVAX will help to meet international needs and end this pandemic.”
– Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
The doses announced today are in addition to the 13 million doses announced by the Prime Minister at the G7 Summit on June 13, 2021, as well as the 17.7 million doses announced by Canada on July 12, 2021.
The distribution of Canada’s donated vaccines is expected to begin in the coming weeks, pending manufacturer delivery schedules.
On August 4, 2021, the Government of Canada announced that it will share over 82,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Trinidad and Tobago via a bilateral agreement. These are doses that had already arrived in Canada, but are in excess of our domestic needs.
Currently, the COVAX Facility has an active portfolio, with advance purchase agreements for 11 vaccines and vaccine candidates and is on track to deliver over 1.8 billion doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine worldwide by the end of the year. The goal is to have equitable access to 2 billion doses by the end of 2021.
Cecely Roy
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Anita Anand
cecely.roy@canada.ca