Corporate Governance

Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro is escalating his pay dispute with doctors, asking the College of Physician and Surgeons to make rules to stop doctors from withdrawing services en masse. Shandro, in a letter dated June 18, says patients—particularly those in rural areas—have a right to timely access to care and that the college has to do more to make sure that happens.

Although the Canadian border has been closed since March 21 to limit the spread of COVID-19, the number of international travelers counted at Canadian airports has increased considerably in recent weeks. Between June 29 and July 12, 91,300 travelers entered Canada, according to the Canada Border Services Agency. About 40,000 of the 91,000 passengers were neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents of the country.

When a Mississauga, Ontario-based pharmacist grew frustrated with the lack of hand sanitizers available to pharmacies during the early days of the pandemic, he decided to take matters into his own hands and create some himself.

Nova Scotia's auditor general says the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to raise costs for a health care expansion project that represents the largest capital output in the province's history. Michael Pickup released his second report on the expansion of the Halifax Infirmary and the construction of a community outpatient centre, which has an estimated $2-billion price tag.

Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday his government has a plan to deal a second wave of COVID-19 this fall, a pledge that comes as Ontario's hospitals warn the surge may come as flu season strikes. Ford said he has been consulting with provincial health officials about the plan, but offered no details about how or when it will be announced.

Nearly two weeks after a loosened travel agreement between their provinces came into effect, Atlantic Canadian premiers are not rushing to set a date to welcome visitors from the rest of the country. The Atlantic travel "bubble'' that opened July 3 allows residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island to travel between the four provinces without being required to self-isolate for 14 days.