"The COVID-19 virus knows no borders," Gould said in a news release. "This has been a wake-up call for the world to stand in solidarity and work together. If there was ever a time for countries and governments to support one another and invest in health globally, it is right now."
This contribution towards CEPI’s urgent $2 billion COVID-19 funding appeal will help enable the initiative to expand the number of vaccine candidates it can test, and run clinical trials to find a successful vaccine. CEPI’s goal is to have at least three vaccine candidates, which could be submitted to regulatory authorities for approval for general use as soon as possible.
Canada’s pledge to CEPI forms part of a new CA$109.5 million commitment to global COVID-19 response efforts, taking Canada’s total contribution to nearly CA$160 million. It includes funding towards the $2 billion United Nations Humanitarian Appeal, which directs support to the World Health Organization and other partners. It also honours an important part of the commitment Canada made through the recent G7 and G20 leaders’ meetings on COVID-19 to increase coordinated vaccine research efforts, including through CEPI; and comes in addition to a CA$275 million commitment announced by Trudeau on March 11 to enhance Canadian research and development efforts addressing coronavirus.
