The federal government has purchased a total of 12 million doses of Moderna's bivalent vaccine that targets both the original strain of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
In a press release Monday, the company said Canada purchased 4.5 million new doses.
Those are in addition to 1.5 million doses originally scheduled to arrive in Canada next year. The delivery deadline has been pushed up and the doses are expected to land in Canada this year.
The government and the company also agreed to convert six million doses of the company's original COVID-19 Spikevax vaccine to bivalent doses.
The agreement depends on Health Canada's approval of the company's bivalent vaccine, which was submitted for review on June 30.
“We thank the Government of Canada for their trust in our mRNA technology and our next-generation bivalent COVID-19 vaccine platform,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.
There is currently no timeline for approval.
The COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Canada are designed to solely target the original strain of the virus. Since the pandemic began, the virus has continued to mutate and prove more adept at evading immune detection.
The proposed bivalent vaccines are designed to recognize specific mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron BA. 1 subvariant.
The most common variants in Canada now are all subversions of Omicron, which arrived at the end of 2021 and have spread aggressively since.
Last week, British regulators became the first in the world to authorize Moderna's vaccine that protects against both the original strain of the novel coronavirus and the Omicron BA. 1 subvariant.
Health Canada is also reviewing a bivalent Omicron vaccine submission from Pfizer-BioNTech.
The drug regulator has already asked vaccine manufacturers to further tweak their bivalent vaccines to target the fast-spreading Omicron BA. 4 and BA. 5 subvariants as soon as possible.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2022.
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Pope Francis paved the way for the canonization of the first saint of the millennial generation on Thursday, attributing a second miracle to a 15-year-old Italian computer whiz who died of leukemia in 2006.
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
It began last month with the arrest of a Russian deputy defense minister. Then the head of the ministry’s personnel directorate was hauled into court. This week, two more senior military officials were detained. All face charges of corruption, which they have denied.
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar-nominee who made food and American diets his life's work, famously eating only at McDonald's for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.
'Quiet vacationing' is the latest new term to describe the rough edges of office culture, and survey data shows it's widespread among North American workers.
Sask. Party member Jeremy Harrison says he will resign as Government House Leader, revealing he brought a gun into the legislative building a decade ago.
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
A warrant has been issued for 32-year-old Yacine Zouaoui, who went unaccounted for at the minimum security Federal Training Centre.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says the mpox vaccine can be given at the same time as an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, reversing its previous recommendation to wait at least four weeks due to safety concerns.
The Supreme Court of Canada says a man found guilty of sexually assaulting his long-time partner was not entitled to present evidence about sexual activity they engaged in shortly before the offence.
Lynx Air hopes to sell off everything from life jackets to oxygen masks as it tries to recoup a portion of the losses it suffered before filing for creditor protection earlier this year.
A Florida priest is accused of biting a woman while giving out Communion during a Mass in St. Cloud in an alleged 'attempt to defend the Communion bread,' according to the charging affidavit in the case.
It began last month with the arrest of a Russian deputy defense minister. Then the head of the ministry’s personnel directorate was hauled into court. This week, two more senior military officials were detained. All face charges of corruption, which they have denied.
Hunter Biden's trial on federal firearms charges in Delaware could last up to two weeks and likely include sharp disagreements over evidence as it plays out during his father's reelection campaign.
Warnings were issued well before a campaign event about high winds that caused a deadly Mexico stage collapse this week, raising questions about why those alerts went unheeded.
Maine's top police leader addressed the chaos caused by officers arriving without assignments after the state's deadliest mass shooting, saying Friday that he was glad so many officers were eager to help, even though it was difficult to manage at times.
U.N. member countries on Friday concluded a new treaty to help ensure that traditional knowledge about genetic resources, like medicines derived from exotic plants in the Andes mountains, is properly traced.
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
Independent Toronto MP Kevin Vuong says he is asking Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to let him join the Tory caucus, and intends to seek a nomination for the party in a Greater Toronto Area riding.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, reacting to the International Criminal Court's order to Israel to halt an assault on Rafah, on Friday said she expected all parties to follow international law.
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says the mpox vaccine can be given at the same time as an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, reversing its previous recommendation to wait at least four weeks due to safety concerns.
Boeing is now aiming for its first astronaut launch at the beginning of June, after spending the past few weeks struggling with more problems on the space capsule.
Joining news organizations that have chosen to collaborate rather than fight with the best-known artificial intelligence company, News Corp. has struck a multi-year deal to share news content with OpenAI for both training purposes and to answer questions from users.
The surge in Canada's tick population is linked to recent changes in our climate, according to Mount Allison University biology professor Vett Lloyd.
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar-nominee who made food and American diets his life's work, famously eating only at McDonald's for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.
With Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” captivating audiences — nearly 60 million viewers watched it in its first month — and the fifth and final season of “You” set to release this year, stories about stalkers have clearly struck people’s attention.
Tennessee's attorney general said Thursday that his office is looking into a company's attempt to sell Elvis Presley's home Graceland at a foreclosure auction, a move that was stopped by a judge after the king of rock n' roll's granddaughter filed a lawsuit claiming fraud.
The federal government is putting up another $31 million for the transformation of a former Hudson's Bay Company flagship store in Winnipeg.
'Quiet vacationing' is the latest new term to describe the rough edges of office culture, and survey data shows it's widespread among North American workers.
Lynx Air is selling off everything from life jackets to oxygen masks as it tries to recoup a portion of the losses it suffered before filing for creditor protection earlier this year.
When one is extended an invitation to the Royal Garden Party in London, England, there's undoubtedly no shortage of pomp and circumstance. Barrie, Ont. natives Megan Kirk Chang and her husband Brandon experienced just that as they entered the prestigious event hosted at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
In 2023, Disney closed a highly-publicized luxury hotel on the Walt Disney World property called 'Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.' Now, a year later, a four-hour-long YouTube deep-dive has resurfaced details about the concept and spread the niche piece of Disney lore to millions of viewers.
The Monaco Grand Prix gets underway this weekend in Monte Carlo with its heady combination of glamor and adrenaline, not only for the tens of thousands who descend on the pristine principality, but for the millions watching across the world.
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has spoken about the controversial comments Harrison Butker made at a commencement speech earlier this month, saying he does not agree with 'just about any' of Butker’s views but did 'cherish' him as a teammate.
When a record-breaking crowd fills BC Place on Saturday they won't be seeing superstar Lionel Messi play, according to a statement from the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Connor McDavid tipped Evan Bouchard's shot from the boards past Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger 32 seconds into the second overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
If you’re planning a road trip this summer, it won’t hurt to make sure your car is reliable and would take you there and back.
BMW and Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu unveiled her newest 'Art Car' at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, France.
Interpol says more than 200 stolen Canadian vehicles have been found each week across the globe since February.
The proprietors of Regina's sole discount theatre are aware they're carrying on a significant legacy.
When Jujhar Mann said he wanted to be a pastry chef on a grade school career project, he didn't imagine that pursuing his dream would land him on a popular Netflix baking competition.
A city known for its history, ties to outer space and southern barbecue, is also home to a Winnipeg chef dishing out dozens of perogies.
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Public libraries in Atlantic Canada are now lending a broader range of items.
Flashes of purple darting across the sky mixed with the serenading sound of songs will be noticed more with spring in full force in Manitoba.
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
A high-risk sex offender who disappeared from a Vancouver halfway house last fall – sparking a 10-day manhunt – was sentenced to 29 months in prison in Vancouver provincial court Friday.
BC Conservatives have rejected a non-competition deal proposed by BC United, the party formerly known as the BC Liberals says, putting an end to talks about a possible merge between the two parties.
Before Michael Stipe was known the world over as the lead singer and lyricist for the multimillion-selling rock band R.E.M., he was taking pictures. And while his outsized music career has since overshadowed his visual pursuits, the 64-year-old set a personal sales record earlier this month at a private art auction in Vancouver.
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
Alcohol sales in Ontario will be enhanced in grocery stores and expanded to convenience stores this summer, a year-and-a-half sooner than expected, following a deal that will see the Ontario government provide The Beer Store up to $225 million for the early rollout.
A dream vacation for an Ontario family quickly turned to frustration when a mother’s name on a ticket didn’t match the name on her passport, meaning she was left behind while her husband and two children flew to France.
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Rallies are planned in eight cities and towns across Alberta on Saturday to protest the United Conservative Party.
A new Amazon warehouse that opened in Calgary on Friday is the first of its kind.
A 68-year-old Ottawa man is facing animal cruelty charges after a gosling was allegedly stomped to death outside a business in Kanata.
Ottawa police say a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle in Barrhaven has died from her injuries.
OC Transpo’s annual Transit Job Fair is scheduled to take place on Saturday at the Greenboro Station Park and Ride from 10 a.m. to 2 pm.
A warrant has been issued for 32-year-old Yacine Zouaoui, who went unaccounted for at the minimum security Federal Training Centre.
Friday's warrant for prison inmate Yacine Zouaoui, 32, is the latest in hundreds of reported prison breaks in Quebec. Sometimes, they just walked away; sometimes they went through a fence, and twice they used a helicopter.
The proportion of young Quebecers with an anxiety-depressive disorder has reached a peak, with 8.4 per cent of 15- to 29-year-olds diagnosed in 2021-2022.
The Alberta Aviation Museum says it is about to begin negotiations with the city on the future ownership of Hangar 14.
Mitchell Sydlowski is back in prison after being accused of assaulting his girlfriend while intoxicated while on parole.
Rallies are planned in eight cities and towns across Alberta on Saturday to protest the United Conservative Party.
The RCMP has completed its investigation into a fatal crash that claimed the lives of four people in Marshfield, P.E.I., last December.
Grammy and Juno-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan will return to her hometown of Halifax this fall during the Canadian leg of her latest tour.
A twelfth Progressive Conservative MLA within the Blaine Higgs’ New Brunswick government has announced she will not run in October’s provincial election.
Parts of southern Manitoba have been hit by a lot of rain, and even snow, as a low-pressure system moves in from the United States.
A 51-year-old man was fatally shot by RCMP on a Manitoba highway Friday morning.
Hundreds of Manitobans had their personal health information "inappropriately accessed" over an eight-month span Shared Health has learned following an investigation.
Sask. Party member Jeremy Harrison says he will resign as Government House Leader, revealing he brought a gun into the legislative building a decade ago.
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Yorkton Protective Fire Services is asking the public to have some compassion when taking photos and videos during the aftermath of accidents.
More than two dozen people have been forced from their homes after a fire ravaged an apartment building in Cambridge.
Alcohol sales in Ontario will be enhanced in grocery stores and expanded to convenience stores this summer, a year-and-a-half sooner than expected, following a deal that will see the Ontario government provide The Beer Store up to $225 million for the early rollout.
Ontario’s so-called 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski has transferred more than half a million dollars on video gaming platforms in a series of transactions made as recently as March, a new bankruptcy report shows.
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Sask. Party member Jeremy Harrison says he will resign as Government House Leader, revealing he brought a gun into the legislative building a decade ago.
Saskatoon police are investigating after a 20-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were stabbed on a city bus Thursday night.
One person is charged with attempt murder and two people have been charged with drug and weapons offences following a shooting early Friday morning in Greater Sudbury.
A 39-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with animal cruelty following a disturbing discovery in the city Thursday evening.
A now 134-hectare fire is burning three kilometres southeast of Cobalt near the east shore of Kerr Lake, the province’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services says.
The Liberal government says it is open to adding more medications to the list of drugs covered by its proposed pharmacare program.
A 26-year-old from Woodstock is charged with one count of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose one count of fail to comply with probation order.
Volunteers are needed for a London group with a heartfelt mission. It consists of photographers who tastefully capture the final moments of dying newborn infants with their families.
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
Police have made an arrest nearly two years after a woman was allegedly gunned down in front of her Alliston, Ont. home.
Police confirm the 50-year-old Barrie man convicted of sex crimes involving a child, who failed to show up for his sentencing hearing on Thursday, has been arrested.
Windsor police have issued an arrest warrant for a 23-year-old man who allegedly shot at a vehicle during a dispute on Erie Street East earlier this week.
The search continues Friday after a report of a possible drowning at Sandpoint Beach in Windsor. Emergency responders were called to the scene in the 10000 block of Riverside Drive East.
A Windsor construction company has been fined $80,000 after a workplace injury.
BC Conservatives have rejected a non-competition deal proposed by BC United, the party formerly known as the BC Liberals says, putting an end to talks about a possible merge between the two parties.
Before Michael Stipe was known the world over as the lead singer and lyricist for the multimillion-selling rock band R.E.M., he was taking pictures. And while his outsized music career has since overshadowed his visual pursuits, the 64-year-old set a personal sales record earlier this month at a private art auction in Vancouver.
Advocates for alleged victims of B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton say they remain focused on getting justice for the women, as Pickton lies in a Quebec hospital in a coma after being attacked in prison.
One person is dead after a fight in Penticton early Sunday morning, according to authorities.
A suspect is at large after robbing a convenience store at gunpoint in Merritt, B.C., Friday, according to local police.
After four targeted shootings in four days, Mounties in Kamloops are taking the unusual step of warning the public about two men they believe are likely to be targeted in future violent incidents.
People trying to access a variety of online services offered by The City of Lethbridge may run into a digital roadblock this weekend.
The Brooks Bandits were hoping to make a little history Wednesday night.
A Lethbridge man wanted on multiple outstanding warrants turned himself in to police, the LPS announced in a media statement Thursday.
A 39-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with animal cruelty following a disturbing discovery in the city Thursday evening.
Tourism officials in Sault Ste. Marie are preparing for a quieter-than-usual cruise ship season.
Three people, including two from Toronto, have been arrested in northern Ontario and Ontario Provincial Police have seized a haul of drugs, weapons and other items.
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
79-year-old Madonna Wilkinson has been playing the accordion since she was 15, when she picked one up that had been left behind at one of her parents' rollicking parties in the oceanside town about 25 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L. She has played Sunday masses and St. Patrick's Day parties, and community events of all kinds.
Canada's new $10-a-day child care program is expanding, but there's growing evidence that demand for the program is rising even faster, leaving many parents on the outside looking in.
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