Watson calls for 40,000 additional COVID-19 vaccine doses from province
Ottawa mayor Jim Watson says he wants the province to send Ottawa another 40,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to help meet the demand for first and second dose appointments in the city.
In a letter to Premier Doug Ford, Watson said the provincial government's move to rapidly expand eligibility has created challenges for the city's ability to provide appointments for residents who want to be vaccinated.
"The reality in Ottawa is that the remaining appointments available in June are insufficient to meaningfully accommodate those eligible or soon to be eligible by your government, for an accelerated second dose," Watson wrote.
RELATED: How do I get the coronavirus vaccine in Ottawa?
The province expanded eligibility to book earlier second dose appointments at 8 a.m. Monday for anyone 70 or older or for anyone who had received their first dose on or before April 18. The expanded eligibility "overloaded" the provincial system's ability to book appointments for residents of Ottawa Monday morning, according to a memo from the city's vaccination task force.
The mayor also noted that the expanded eligibility appeared to come into effect about 30 minutes before 8 a.m.
Watson has been critical of the amount of vaccines shipped to Ottawa, saying on several occasions, including on the CTV News at Six on Saturday, that the city is not receiving its "fair share" of vaccines.
According to data from Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa has received 604,790 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the provincial government, not including doses shipped to pharmacies. Ontario has received 11,192,235 doses of all approved vaccines as of June 3, according to Health Canada, meaning Ottawa has received about 5.4 per cent of Ontario's vaccine inventory before shipments to pharmacies are factored in.
The population of Ottawa is roughly seven per cent of the population of Ontario.
According to OPH, the city and its hospital partners had administered 96 per cent of their available vaccine inventory as of Sunday evening. Appointments are only made available for clinics in Ottawa when the city knows it has supply in hand to accommodate them.
"Ottawa has very low vaccine hesitancy," Watson wrote, "and, as such, I am requesting a strategic allocation of 40,000 COVID-19 vaccines be given to Ottawa as soon as feasible in order to alleviate some of the demand for appointments resulting from accelerated intervals."
Last week, Anthony Di Monte, Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services, said the shortened second dose interval for residents 70 and older would add up to 80,000 more people looking for earlier appointments in June.
In a PSA Monday afternoon, the city urged residents who were unable to book appointments Monday morning using the provincial system to keep trying, as appointments may become available due to cancellations or changes in scheduling.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson Airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv's latest apparent war innovation
Russian air defences downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have featured heavily in what has largely become a war of attrition.
Frustrated farmers are rebelling against EU rules. The far right is stoking the flames
Mainstream political parties failed to act on European farmers' complaints for decades, one farmer says. Now the radical right is stepping in.