The federal government is spending $4-billion to top up the wages of essential workers in Canada.
Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the provinces and territories will decide how the money gets spent, but it's meant to help people who are risking their health by working during the COVID-19 pandemic at minimum wage.
The federal money is three-quarters of the cost, with lower-tier governments kicking in the rest.
Also on Thursday, Trudeau said that cushioning the economic impact of the pandemic is the government's top priority and he's not worrying too much for now about how to deal with the costs.
He says the pandemic has revealed problems that hadn't received enough attention, such as the plight of vulnerable workers, that will also need to be dealt with and there will be plenty of time to talk about the longer-term economic recovery later.
When it comes the state of COVID-19 in Canada, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said on Thursday that Canada has conducted its millionth test for the virus, and about six per cent of the people tested have been confirmed as positive cases.