In his update today on COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a government plan to mobilize industry to fight the coronavirus. The plan introduces direct support to help business scale up production or re-tool their manufacturing lines to develop products to help fight the pandemic. These products could include things like personal protective equipment, sanitization products, diagnostic and testing products, and ventilators.

The border to the U.S. will shut down at midnight tonight non-essential travel. Travel for commerce and trade will continue.

The Prime Minister says irregular migrants are to be turned away at the United States border. Those who were allowed in the country prior to this decision being made, and since recent measures were taken in regards to COVID-19, are in isolation.

When asked if Canada would take it one step further and initiate a lockdown like California did on Thursday night, Trudeau says Canadians are complying with recommendations to stay at home but they are looking at all possible options.

And when asked about reducing prison populations Trudeau says the government understands the heightened risks in those institutions. He says the Minister of Public Safety is in communication with the head of Corrections Canada to work on keeping the incarcerated population safe.

He also points out that Service Canada and other government agencies have received 500,000 applications this week as compared to under 27,000 in the same week last year.

Meanwhile, the federal government is in discussion with Canadian airlines to bring Canadians home. The first flight will pick up Canadians from Morocco.