June 17, 2021
The United States Donates One Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Canada
OTTAWA – The United States Embassy in Ottawa is pleased to announce the arrival of one million COVID-19 vaccine doses at Toronto Pearson Airport on the evening of June 17, donated to Canada by the United States Government as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s global vaccine sharing framework.
This donation of one million Moderna vaccine doses is in addition to the loan of 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to Canada in March. This pandemic knows no borders, and helping our neighbors to contain the virus is critical to protecting the health and economic security of Americans and stopping the spread of COVID-19 around the globe.
“We are proud to help Canada, our closest friend, partner, and ally, with this donation,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Arnold Chacon. “During President Biden’s virtual visit to Canada in February 2021, he and Prime Minister Trudeau agreed that their top priority is to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Our countries have been working hand-in-hand since the very beginning to protect the health and safety of our citizens.”
On June 3, the Biden-Harris Administration announced its framework for sharing at least 80 million doses and set out its plan for the allocation of the first 25 million doses. The allocation of this first tranche of donated doses reflects the desire of the United States to respond to all regions and lay the groundwork for increased vaccine supply and access throughout the world.
The United States is sharing 25 percent of the 25 million vaccine doses (approximately 6 million) with countries including Mexico, Canada, and the Republic of Korea, West Bank and Gaza, Ukraine, Kosovo, Haiti, Georgia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Yemen, as well as with United Nations frontline workers.
The United States is proud to partner with Canada to defeat COVID-19. Together, we will continue to build a world that is safer and more secure against the threat of infectious disease.
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Molly Sanchez Crowe
Embassy Spokesperson
U.S. Embassy Ottawa
Sanchezcrowemm@state.gov
Summary of Recent U.S. Actions
- On May 17, the President announced the U.S. will donate 80 million vaccines by the end of June. (Transcript: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/05/17/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-covid-19-response-and-the-vaccination-program-4/)
- On June 3, the White House unveiled its strategy for global vaccine sharing and announced the allocation plan for the first 25 million doses to be shared globally. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/03/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-unveils-strategy-for-global-vaccine-sharing-announcing-allocation-plan-for-the-first-25-million-doses-to-be-shared-globally/)
- On June 10, the President announced that the United States will purchase and donate half a billion Pfizer vaccines to 92 low- and lower middle-income countries and the African Union, an historic action that will help supercharge the global fight against the pandemic. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/10/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-historic-vaccine-donation-half-a-billion-pfizer-vaccines-to-the-worlds-lowest-income-nations/)
- In total, the G7+ will provide more than 2 billion vaccines for the world. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/13/fact-sheet-united-states-and-g7-partners-will-provide-more-than-2-billion-vaccines-for-the-world/)
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- This includes 1 billion doses that were announced at the G7 Summit in June, of which the U.S. will contribute 500 million.
- (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/11/fact-sheet-united-states-and-g7-plan-to-defeat-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-2022-and-prevent-the-next-pandemic/)
- In addition to support for the G7+ commitment on vaccines, the United States will continue to share doses from our domestic supply as they become available.
