Pushing back against critics of his government’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says most Canadians would be inoculated by September 2021, with a former NATO commander leading distribution.

He announced today that Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin will lead the nation’s vaccine distribution efforts, overseeing logistics that include cold storage requirements, data sharing, and reaching Indigenous communities.

“We’re going to continue to do everything we can to deliver for Canadians, listening to experts working with top people to make sure that we’re doing this, right, and quickly and safely for all Canadians, Trudeau said, speaking from the front steps of Rideau Cottage.

The Prime Minister says that plan positions Canada well, despite criticism that the country may not start vaccinations as early as the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. He says he knows people are eager to know when vaccination efforts may begin but he says what matters most is the ‘finish line.’

“The fact that the doctors highlighted that if all goes according to plan, we should be able to have a majority of Canadians vaccinated by next September, puts us in very good stead,” Trudeau added.

He said that during a meeting yesterday, Canada’s premiers highlighted concerns about ensuring that everyone including vulnerable Canadians are able to access the vaccine.

Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo has suggested he hoped to see most Canadians vaccinated by the end of next year, but this is the most specific the Liberal government has been.

Njoo later said the Prime Minister’s prediction is ‘in the same ballpark’ as previous rollout plans, and said September was a good target to work towards.

The Federal Government has signed deals with seven vaccine manufacturers – Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, and Medicago.

Officials said yesterday that final agreements have been reached with five of the manufacturers, with only Johnson & Johnson and Novavax pending – and through these deals Canada has guaranteed access to 194 million doses with the option to purchase 220 million more, meaning if all vaccines pan out, we’d have access to 414 million doses.

– With files from The Canadian Press