In national news Thursday, community organizations representing nearly a million off-reserve Indigenous people across Canada will receive an additional $75 million in COVID-19 funding from the federal government.
The federal government initially pledged $305 million to help First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, with $15 million of this money set aside for organizations providing services to those living off reserves or in urban centres.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples filed an application in the Federal Court of Canada last week, challenging the funding allocation of $250,000 it received as part of a COVID-19 fund earmarked for off-reserve Indigenous peoples.
In provincial news, the Ontario government is funding 15 proposals for research projects aimed at the prevention, treatment and detection of COVID-19 as part of the province's $20-million Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund.
According to the province, the projects will focus on areas of research such as vaccine development, diagnostics, drug trials and development, and social sciences.
In local news, school boards are weighing in on the prospect of virtual graduation ceremonies and summer school as they await word on what the 2020-2021 academic year will look like.
In the latest edition of Following Up, the mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. talks about the economic impact of the border shutdown.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health:
- 6,030 tested
- 20 positive
- 5,767 negative
- 243 pending
- 0 deceased
- 13 resolved
Total confirmed cases by area of residence:
- 16 in Sault Ste. Marie and area, with evidence of community spread
- 1 in central and east Algoma
- 3 in Elliot Lake and area ***
- 0 in north Algoma
Algoma Public Health states “these numbers now include testing that was completed at long-term care homes (LTCH) in the Algoma district as part of the province’s one-time surveillance testing initiative. Staff and residents of all Algoma LTCHs have completed one-time surveillance testing.”
*** Three positive cases in Elliot Lake and area have been confirmed by Elliot Lake Family Health Team
Click here for a SooToday list of what's still open in the Sault.
- with files from The Canadian Press
