COVID response costs Ottawa Public Health an extra $77 million in 2022
Ottawa Public Health says all children will receive a sticker after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at community clinics. (Jeremie Charron/CTV News Ottawa)
Ottawa Public Health is expecting to spend an additional $77 million this year, as staff continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and administer vaccines.
A report for Monday's Board of Health meeting says the Omicron wave in the winter required the "maximum response capacity to date" for outbreak management, case management and delivery of booster doses.
Staff say while OPH has been reducing resources spent on the COVID-19 response over the first half of the year, the health unit is projecting $77 million of additional spending in its 2022 budget.
Ottawa Public Health began reducing operations in areas such as case management, outbreak management, and other back office/shared services through the winter and spring, and staff say operations were further reduced in July due to the decrease of severe COVID-19 in the community.
The release of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine this fall will require continued staffing resources and expenditures, according to the health unit.
"OPH's revised projected total expenditures are $38M for the COVID-19 General Program and $40M for the COVID-19 Vaccine Program," the report says.
Ottawa Public Health says the Ministry of Health has provided all health units with an assurance that there will be a process to request reimbursement of 2022 COVID-19 Extraordinary Costs, and the budget is expected to be balanced at the end of the year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Powerful earthquake rocks Turkiye and Syria, kills more than 1,300
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkiye and Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 1,300 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.
Attracting, retaining pilots an ongoing issue in Canada: industry analysts
Retirements, high training costs and poor pay are fuelling a pilot shortage in Canada, industry analysts say, at a time when travel has surged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canadian dollar's outlook for 2023 uncertain as interest rate hikes wane: experts
Experts say the outlook for the loonie in 2023 largely depends on commodity prices, how the U.S. dollar fares, and whether central banks are successful in avoiding a major recession.
Strongest earthquake to hit Buffalo in decades causes rumbles in southern Ontario
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake that struck near Buffalo, N.Y. Monday morning was felt in southern Ontario, officials say.
China accuses U.S. of indiscriminate use of force over balloon
China on Monday accused the United States of indiscriminate use of force in shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon, saying it 'seriously impacted and damaged both sides' efforts and progress in stabilizing Sino-U.S. relations.'
BoC's first summary of deliberations coming this week. Here's what to expect
The Bank of Canada is set to publish its first summary of deliberations Wednesday, giving Canadians a peak into the governing council's reasoning behind its decision to raise interest rates last month.
Beyonce becomes most decorated artist in Grammys history; Harry Styles wins album of the year
Beyonce sits alone atop the Grammy throne as the ceremony's most decorated artist in history, but at the end of Sunday's show it was Harry Styles who walked away with the album of the year honour.
Charles Kimbrough, best known for role in 'Murphy Brown,' dies at 86
Charles Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on 'Murphy Brown,' died Jan. 11 in Culver City, California. He was 86.
Advocates come together to help sailors stuck for months on tugboats in Quebec port
Groups that advocate for seafarers are expressing concern for 11 sailors who are spending a harsh Quebec winter aboard three tugboats that have been detained for months in the port of Trois-Rivières.
Atlantic
-
Several Maritime schools closed after frigid weekend, hundreds without power in N.S.
Hundreds of Nova Scotians are without power Monday morning following frigid temperatures and high winds over the weekend.
-
Storm Watch: School closures and cancellations
Here is a list of school closures and cancellations for Monday, Feb. 6, 2023.
-
Cape Breton University, striking faculty reach tentative agreement
Striking faculty members at Cape Breton University have reached a tentative agreement with the university.
Toronto
-
Strongest earthquake to hit Buffalo in decades causes rumbles in southern Ontario
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake that struck near Buffalo, N.Y. Monday morning was felt in southern Ontario, officials say.
-
Masking alone wouldn't have eased respiratory virus surge in the fall: PHO document
Introducing a mask mandate when respiratory viruses surged in the fall may not have eased the crush on pediatric hospitals, a Public Health Ontario science brief obtained by The Canadian Press concludes.
-
Three people rescued after falling through ice near Toronto Islands
Three people are now in the care of paramedics after a skating mishap on Lake Ontario Monday morning.
Montreal
-
Arson squad investigating building fire in Pierrefonds early Monday morning
A commercial establishment in northwest Montreal was the target of an apparent arson attack early Monday morning. The damage caused by the fire was not significant, and there were no injuries, according to the Montreal Police Department (SPVM).
-
Hydro-Quebec executive vice-president Eric Filion goes to Bombardier
Hydro-Quebec's executive vice-president and chief operating officer, Eric Filion, is joining his former boss at Bombardier. Bombardier president and CEO Éric Martel, who formerly headed Hydro-Québec, announced Monday that Filion will join his management team.
-
Black-owned restaurateurs in Montreal making space in the culinary scene
More and more Black-owned restaurants and culinary experiences have begun to dot the landscape of the city's culinary scene, but more is needed to help their communities' gastronomic enterprises thrive.
Northern Ontario
-
Strongest earthquake to hit Buffalo in decades causes rumbles in southern Ontario
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake that struck near Buffalo, N.Y. Monday morning was felt in southern Ontario, officials say.
-
Two arrested in Kapuskasing police investigation, schools closed
Schools in the northern Ontario town of Kapuskasing are closed Monday after Ontario Provincial Police responded to a threat resulting in two arrests.
-
New study highlights increasing prevalence of muscle dysmorphia among Canadian boys, young men
Canadian researchers are drawing attention to the increasing prevalence of 'a pathological pursuit of muscularity' among Canadian boys and young men, with a new study that found one in four were at risk of developing what's known as muscle dysmorphia.
London
-
London police seize drugs, ammunition from scene of fire
A 29-year-old is facing charges after police found drugs and ammunition at the scene of a Trafalgar Street residential fire.
-
Powerful earthquake rocks Turkiye and Syria, kills more than 1,300
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkiye and Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 1,300 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.
-
Cause of East London residential fire under investigation
London fire crews are investigating the cause of a blaze that forced multiple east end residents out of their homes Sunday.
Winnipeg
-
‘Those are memories you retain for a long, long time’: Main and Matheson Salisbury House up for sale
An iconic remnant of a beloved Manitoba restaurant chain is now on the market.
-
'Come home to mama': Family seek help in finding missing 14-year-old girl
The family of a 14-year-old girl missing for the last two weeks in Winnipeg is putting out a desperate plea for information.
-
Bonnie Raitt wins Grammy for cover of Manitoba band's song
American singer Bonnie Raitt took home three Grammy Awards this weekend, including one for a cover she did of a Manitoba band’s song.
Kitchener
-
Woolwich man arrested for alleged death threats to local MP
Waterloo regional police have arrested a Woolwich man after death threats were allegedly made to a local Member of Parliament online.
-
Jacob Hespeler Secondary School closed for Monday due to flooding
The first day of the second semester will be pushed back for students at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School in Cambridge.
-
Most read stories of the week: Conestoga Mall robbery, house explosion hearing, cancelled Valentine's Day
An armed robbery at Conestoga Mall, a hearing on a 2018 Kitchener house explosion, and a school cancelling Valentine's Day round out the most ready stories of the week.
Calgary
-
'Absolute nightmare': Calgarians call attention to the children unable to leave Ukraine
A group of Calgarians gathered along Memorial Drive Sunday to draw attention to what they call "disgusting" treatment of Ukrainian children.
-
Powerful earthquake rocks Turkiye and Syria, kills more than 1,300
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkiye and Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 1,300 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.
-
WEATHER
WEATHER | Another warm spell hits Calgary
If you're driving through Balzac today, give Billy the nod.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon city greenhouses on the verge of being condemned: report
Saskatoon will no longer supply its own flowers for its summer flowerpots and garden beds, according to a report before city councillors this week.
-
Sask. man dead following snowmobile collision
A person is dead following a snowmobile collision near Candle Lake early Sunday morning.
-
'A big part of my childhood': Regina student brings Lego to life through stop-motion animation
Jayson Reddekopp has been a Lego collector since he was a kid. Now in his second year of university, he’s bringing his passion to life using just his Lego pieces and an iPhone.
Edmonton
-
Family of man slain in northeast Edmonton searching for answers
An Edmonton family is in mourning after the sudden death of their son and brother in the city's northeast.
-
New study highlights increasing prevalence of muscle dysmorphia among Canadian boys, young men
Canadian researchers are drawing attention to the increasing prevalence of 'a pathological pursuit of muscularity' among Canadian boys and young men, with a new study that found one in four were at risk of developing what's known as muscle dysmorphia.
-
Masking alone wouldn't have eased respiratory virus surge in the fall: PHO document
Introducing a mask mandate when respiratory viruses surged in the fall may not have eased the crush on pediatric hospitals, a Public Health Ontario science brief obtained by The Canadian Press concludes.
Vancouver
-
‘It's my only wish’: Grieving Surrey mother still waiting for justice in daughter's slaying
Two years after a young woman in Surrey was gunned down, her family says they still waiting for justice.
-
B.C.'s economy, health care and housing to be the focus of throne speech: Eby
British Columbia's economy will be a key focus for politicians as they return to the legislature for the spring sitting.
-
'I want to bring Blockbuster back': B.C. teen creates free movie lending library
Tucked away on a residential street in Langley, there's a blue cabinet filled with VHS tapes and DVDs bearing the once-familiar logo of Blockbuster video.
Regina
-
'Need some flexibility': Sask. premier in Ottawa for health meetings
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe flew to Ottawa on Sunday ahead of the first ministers meeting regarding healthcare funding scheduled for this week.
-
Regina's Kelly Knapp wins SaskTel Tankard
Regina’s Kelly Knapp defeated Swift Current’s Steve Laycock 5-4 in the final of the SaskTel Tankard in Estevan, Sask. on Sunday and will represent Saskatchewan at the Tim Hortons Brier in London, Ont. from March 3 to 12.
-
Sask. man dead following snowmobile collision
A person is dead following a snowmobile collision near Candle Lake early Sunday morning.