Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used Saturday's daily address from Rideau Cottage to announce a 30-day extension of U.S.-Canada border measures.
Trudeau also announced $306 million in financial support for Indigenous businesses, which will allow for businesses to obtain short-term, interest-free loans and non-repayable contributions.
In other news, the federal government says that all air travellers must cover their nose and mouth with a non-medical mask to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The new measure comes into effect at noon on Monday.
Some primary-care doctors say they still have no idea when they will get much-needed protective equipment to protect them from COVID-19 - and they're starting to run critically low on supplies.
In provincial news, Ontario reported another 485 positive cases of COVID-19 Saturday, but the numbers also suggest that nearly half of all confirmed cases in the province have recovered from the virus.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says updated public health modelling numbers will be revealed to the public Monday, which he says will chart the course for public health measures over the coming weeks and months.
Ford was also joined by Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano to announce $20 million in research funding to in an effort develop a vaccine for COVID-19.
The province says the COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund is now seeking proposals from research institutions, post-secondary institutions and non-profit scientific partners in order to advance medical research and develop tools and resources to combat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
More than 100 long term care homes in Ontario have seen more than 1,200 cases of COVID-19 among residents, accounting for about half the 478 known deaths in the province.
In local news, a Sault Area Hospital healthcare worker has tested positive for COVID-19.
The hospital says the healthcare worker was tested following the development of symptoms, and has since remained in self-isolation at home.
Algoma Public Health and Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano took the time to explain the health unit's COVID-19 reporting strategy, which has drawn some criticism from the City of Elliot Lake over the past month.
These Saultites have set up a charitable foundation that allows for donations of personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers to be obtained with a minimum of red tape.
Here are the latest COVID-19 testing numbers from Algoma Public Health:
- 1200 tested
- 12 positive
- 916 negative
- 272 pending
- 0 deceased
- 6 resolved
Total confirmed cases by area of residence:
- 8 in Sault Ste. Marie and area
- less than 5 in central and east Algoma
- less than 5 in Elliot Lake and area
- 0 in north Algoma
