The Prime Minister says Canada’s food supply is safe, even though several packing plants have seen outbreaks of COVID-19.

During his update in Ottawa, Justin Trudeau says officials are working closely with the agricultural industry to ensure people get good, healthy food.

2 beef packing plants in Alberta, and 2 chicken processing plants have had workers infected.

Trudeau says the latest nation-wide model of the virus shows many parts of the country are flattening the curve. He attributes it to people following the public health rules. He encourages Canadians to continue doing that.

The Prime Minister again promised aid for students facing financial difficulties if they can’t get a summer job due to COVID-19. He said student may be eligible for up to $5 thousand through the new Canada Student Service grant. There will also be special support for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Nation students. For Graduate students and those conducting research, scholarships, fellowships, and grants will be extended.

Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says, given recent positive projections on flattening the curve, provinces are making plans to re-open, but cautions it won’t happen at the same time everywhere because the flattening varies depending on where you are in the country.

Canada’s top doctor says more testing is needed, even as the COVID-19 infection curve continues to flatten across the country.

Tam was asked, given the fact that some provinces are in the process of reopening, if automated digital tracing would be a useful tool in the workplace…..

She says it is something of interest in several provinces and territories and they are looking into what the demand might be.

Meantime, officials say there were 50,373 cases in Canada, with 2,904 deaths.

[cjgx april 29 2020