I wish I could be in Vancouver delivering this speech in person and hearing about your concerns directly. Unfortunately, the time for face-to-face meetings has not yet come. But we can be together virtually, and I thank you for the invitation to speak with you today.
The recent positive news on vaccines provides some reassurance that more normal activities can resume sometime later next year. However, the path from here to there looks difficult. A second wave of COVID-19 is sweeping across much of the country, leading to renewed restrictions. These will weigh on economic growth early next year and increase the strain on Canadian families and businesses.