Canadians are being hit with all-time record gasoline prices heading into the Thanksgiving long weekend. Federal government data shows the average national retail price for regular gasoline in Canada hit $1.45 per litre this week. Fuel price consultancy firm Kalibrate, which has data back to 2007, says these prices are record highs. The main factor is that crude oil prices are at seven-year highs, but higher carbon taxes are also reflected in the price at the pump.
Pfizer Canada says it’s in the final stages of working with Health Canada on a formal request so kids between five and 11 can be given its COVID-19 shot in the coming weeks. The drugmaker submitted a formal request to the U-S Food and Drug Administration today, and the F-D-A intends to meet to discuss the submission on October 26th. The dose for younger children is one-third the size given to adults. Pfizer and Health Canada have not yet said if vaccine supplies already in Canadian freezers can be adapted for use on children or if new shipments must be made.
Lululemon Athletica is joining the booming personalized at-home exercise trend with the launch of Mirror, a large electronic device for streaming workout classes. The retailer says the mirror-like machine, which can be mounted to a wall, is available for in-store demonstrations in Canada starting today and will be available for purchase on November 22nd. The device sells for a base price of nearly 19-hundred dollars in Canada, plus a 49-dollar monthly subscription fee to access live and on-demand workouts. Lululemon acquired Mirror in July 2020 for 500-million U-S as the pandemic catapulted the at-home fitness market to new heights.
British Columbia has recorded nine new COVID-19 deaths. Health officials say the province has reported 752 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of active infections to five-thousand-945. Of the active infections, 350 people are in hospital and 136 are in intensive care. Officials say more than 88 per cent of eligible people 12 and older in B-C have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and almost 82 per cent have received their second dose.
A report by B-C’s seniors advocate examining COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities in the province found residents are three and a half times more likely to contract COVID-19 and 33 times more likely to die of the disease. Isobel Mackenzie says expanding paid sick leave, hiring more nurses, eliminating shared rooms and increasing the scope and frequency of COVID-19 testing are the top recommendations of her report into 365 outbreaks at 20 sites from March 2020 to last February. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the government has an obligation to improve the quality of life for residents in long-term care and that the recommendations are being addressed. He says residents are getting booster shots, care home staff and visitors now require vaccinations, shared rooms are being eliminated and more staff have been hired. The B-C government is conducting a sick pay survey ahead of permanent sick pay provisions due early next year.
