Alberta
Pfizer vaccine arriving in Alberta
From the Province of Alberta
More than 25,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine en route to Alberta
Alberta will soon receive 25,350 doses of Pfizer vaccine and will start immunizing priority health-care workers provincewide.
During the week of Dec. 21, Alberta will receive shipments of vaccines from Pfizer at dedicated vaccine sites across the province.
Right now, the Pfizer vaccine must be administered at its delivery site, so these doses will be provided to respiratory therapists, intensive care unit physicians and staff, and eligible long-term care and designated supportive living workers across the province.
These are in addition to the 3,900 doses that are expected to arrive this week and will begin to be administered in Calgary and Edmonton within days of delivery. The ultra-cold freezers needed for the Pfizer vaccines are now installed at eight locations across Alberta and AHS staff are being trained to ensure quality and safety are maintained.
“This welcome news brings much-needed hope to Albertans, particularly health care workers, during this incredibly trying time in the pandemic. These staff are exhausted, and I hope seeing more vaccinations are on the way will show them there’s an end in sight. Albertans can be confident this vaccine is safe and will be administered quickly and efficiently.”
“Alberta Health Services, Alberta Health and the COVID-19 task force have been hard at work preparing for the vaccine doses arriving this week and next. We have the plans in place to get the vaccines to where they need to go: into the arms of Albertans.”
“I am very pleased to hear that we will be able to immunize more of our front-line health-care workers and vulnerable Albertans before the end of the year. But this is not the end. We must continue to follow health measures to bend the curve, and until enough of us are immunized, we must continue to be each others’ vaccine.”
Pending final approval from Health Canada, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is expected to arrive in Alberta later in December. The Moderna vaccines can be transported to other locations, so the initial shipment will be used to immunize residents at long-term care locations beginning with those at highest risk, including two First Nations seniors facilities.
As more shipments arrive in early January, immunization will focus on Phase 1 priority populations and will include residents of long-term care and designated supportive living facilities, followed by seniors aged 75 and over and First Nations on reserve, Inuit and on-settlement Metis individuals aged 65 and over.
Phase 2 is still expected to start by April 2021 and will be targeted to the next groups of prioritized populations. Final decisions regarding eligibility in Phase 2 have not yet been determined.
Phase 3 will involve rolling out vaccinations to the general Alberta population, and is anticipated to start later in 2021.
Quick facts
- Alberta has worked closely with the federal government and other provinces and territories to acquire COVID-19 vaccines since the pandemic began.
- Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses.
- The Pfizer vaccine was approved on Dec. 9.
- The Moderna vaccine has not been approved by Health Canada.
Agriculture
Lacombe meat processor scores $1.2 million dollar provincial tax credit to help expansion
Alberta’s government continues to attract investment and grow the provincial economy.
The province’s inviting and tax-friendly business environment, and abundant agricultural resources, make it one of North America’s best places to do business. In addition, the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit helps attract investment that will further diversify Alberta’s agriculture industry.
Beretta Farms is the most recent company to qualify for the tax credit by expanding its existing facility with the potential to significantly increase production capacity. It invested more than $10.9 million in the project that is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 29,583 to 44,688 head of cattle per year. Eleven new employees were hired after the expansion and the company plans to hire ten more. Through the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, Alberta’s government has issued Beretta Farms a tax credit of $1,228,735.
“The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers that supply them. This facility expansion will allow Beretta Farms to increase production capacity, which means more Alberta beef across the country, and around the world.”
“This expansion by Beretta Farms is great news for Lacombe and central Alberta. It not only supports local job creation and economic growth but also strengthens Alberta’s global reputation for producing high-quality meat products. I’m proud to see our government supporting agricultural innovation and investment right here in our community.”
The tax credit provides a 12 per cent non-refundable, non-transferable tax credit when businesses invest $10 million or more in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing facility in Alberta. The program is open to any food manufacturers and bio processors that add value to commodities like grains or meat or turn agricultural byproducts into new consumer or industrial goods.
Beretta Farms’ facility in Lacombe is a federally registered, European Union-approved harvesting and meat processing facility specializing in the slaughter, processing, packaging and distribution of Canadian and United States cattle and bison meat products to 87 countries worldwide.
“Our recent plant expansion project at our facility in Lacombe has allowed us to increase our processing capacities and add more job opportunities in the central Alberta area. With the support and recognition from the Government of Alberta’s tax credit program, we feel we are in a better position to continue our success and have the confidence to grow our meat brands into the future.”
Alberta’s agri-processing sector is the second-largest manufacturing industry in the province and meat processing plays an important role in the sector, generating millions in annual economic impact and creating thousands of jobs. Alberta continues to be an attractive place for agricultural investment due to its agricultural resources, one of the lowest tax rates in North America, a business-friendly environment and a robust transportation network to connect with international markets.
Quick facts
- Since 2023, there are 16 applicants to the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit for projects worth about $1.6 billion total in new investment in Alberta’s agri-processing sector.
- To date, 13 projects have received conditional approval under the program.
- Each applicant must submit progress reports, then apply for a tax credit certificate when the project is complete.
- Beretta Farms has expanded the Lacombe facility by 10,000 square feet to include new warehousing, cooler space and an office building.
- This project has the potential to increase production capacity by 50 per cent, thereby facilitating entry into more European markets.
Related information
From Premier Danielle Smith and Alberta.ca/Next
Let’s talk about an Alberta Pension Plan for a minute.
With our young Alberta workforce paying billions more into the CPP each year than our seniors get back in benefits, it’s time to ask whether we stay with the status quo or create our own Alberta Pension Plan that would guarantee as good or better benefits for seniors and lower premiums for workers.
I want to hear your perspective on this idea and please check out the video. Get the facts. Join the conversation.
Visit Alberta.ca/next
RFK Jr. says Hep B vaccine is linked to 1,135% higher autism rate
Blind to the Left: Canada’s Counter-Extremism Failure Leaves Neo-Marxist and Islamist Threats Unchecked
Why it’s time to repeal the oil tanker ban on B.C.’s north coast
Alberta Provincial Police – New chief of Independent Agency Police Service
-
COVID-192 days agoCourt compels RCMP and TD Bank to hand over records related to freezing of peaceful protestor’s bank accounts
-
Energy2 days agoB.C. Residents File Competition Bureau Complaint Against David Suzuki Foundation for Use of False Imagery in Anti-Energy Campaigns
-
C2C Journal2 days agoCanada Desperately Needs a Baby Bump
-
conflict1 day agoUS airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Was it obliteration?
-
Agriculture1 day ago
Lacombe meat processor scores $1.2 million dollar provincial tax credit to help expansion
-
Daily Caller14 hours agoTrump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Resets The Energy Policy Playing Field
-
Business2 days agoNational dental program likely more costly than advertised
-
Crime1 day agoThe Left Thinks Drug Criminalization Is Racist. Minorities Disagree