We have indicated that with the particular design of this program, given its scale and the desire for rapidity of beginning the program, the closest vehicle within the public service for delivering it would have been the Canada Service Corps, which was being designed and gradually built. It was very clearly not going to be able to deliver a program on this scale and proactively to do the outreach to Canadian students to get them involved. At that point, therefore, the requirement for a third party was identified, and consideration was given to those who might be able to do it.
On August 11th, 2020. See this statement in context.