The federal government’s creating a new military-support hub within Public Health Agency Canada to help co-ordinate the rollout of millions of COVID vaccine doses over the coming months.

”We are setting up a National Operations Centre; through the Public Health Agency of Canada, with the support of the Canadian Armed Forces to co-ordinate logistics and distribution of vaccines,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also announced who will be in charge.

”Major-Gen. Dany Fortin will be heading up the logisitics and operations within this centre.  Major-Gen. Fortin is a seasoned officer, the chief of staff of Canadian Joint Operations Command and served as commander of the NATO mission in Iraq.”

Fortin was also involved in planning the Armed Forces missions in long-term care homes hardest hit by COVID-19 over the summer.

Trudeau acknowledges Canadians’ eagerness to know when vaccine efforts might begin, but says what matters most is the ”finish line.”

He says most Canadians are expected to be vaccinated by next September.