Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by acknowledging the stress that Canadians have been under during the second wave of the pandemic.
We are all tired, anxious and frustrated by the resurgence of the virus, the ongoing uncertainty and the constant disruptions to our daily lives. The pandemic has been going on for a long time, and things have been hard as the virus continues to wreak havoc on all aspects of our lives, including our economic, physical and emotional well-being. We know that the only thing that will let us get back to normal is the COVID-19 vaccine. We have all been looking forward to it. It cannot come soon enough, since the pandemic weighs on us every day.
Today more than ever, I am asking that we rise above our political differences and party lines and work together to help the country get through the most difficult stage of the pandemic. Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires everyone's involvement to ensure that we make it through these hard times and turn the corner. We cannot get caught up in brinkmanship. We are at a critical point in the pandemic, and we must join forces to make it through this last leg. For Canada to get to the finish line, all of us in the House must work together as part of a completely collaborative approach. This approach has been central to our strategy from the beginning, and it is especially vital now.
Our government has kept its promises to Canadians. We worked day and night in a hyper-competitive global market to obtain vital personal protective equipment, build one of the most diversified vaccine portfolios in the world and act quickly to provide doses of the two currently approved vaccines to the provinces and territories. Only by working together will we get through this situation. It is time to lower the temperature and focus on what Canadians need us to do.
As we started rolling out the biggest vaccination campaign in Canadian history, we knew that there would likely be some bumps in the road. That is to be expected when undertaking this type of initiative during a global emergency. We saw that in the recent slowdown in delivery of the Pfizer vaccine, which, I would remind hon. members, is true for every country being supplied by the European plant. We knew we would be facing challenges when it comes to supply given the complexity of production, an unprecedented global demand and a rapid acceleration of production.
It is precisely with these types of questions in mind that Canada signed seven agreements with the key vaccine manufacturers and developers in order to guarantee the diversity and flexibility of our supply chains. To be clear, I understand and share the concerns of Canadians over this temporary delay in delivery. We can rest assured, though, because the minister, the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada are in constant contact with representatives of Pfizer to strongly reiterate how important it is to Canada to get back on schedule as soon as possible.
As we have said many times, Pfizer assures us that we will receive every dose that we have been promised and that we have bought. I agree that this is an unfortunate and unwelcome situation in light of our urgent situation, but we are living in volatile times. I want to assure the House that Pfizer has committed to meeting our quarterly objective and has said that deliveries will increase considerably as promised in the spring. Between Moderna and Pfizer, we will have access to 80 million doses in 2021 and we will have enough vaccines for everyone in Canada who is eligible and who wants to be vaccinated by the end of September.
We want this to be a safe and speedy vaccination campaign. Unfortunately, we have to expect that problems like this and others may arise. As always, we have to adapt. As part of our procurement strategy, our government has secured a diverse portfolio, signing seven agreements for the main vaccine candidates.
These seven agreements will provide access to no fewer than 234 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and the option to buy up to 164 million additional doses. From the start, we adopted a diversified approach to vaccine procurement. We did not put all our eggs in one basket. We made sure we diversified our risk by ordering vaccines from many different suppliers. That means Canadians will get guaranteed access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are available.
Obviously, we cannot defeat this virus in Canada if we do not eliminate it everywhere. That is why we will participate in COVAX, a global vaccine supply initiative that will develop and deploy safe, effective, accessible COVID-19 vaccines around the world. Supporting other countries in their fight against COVID-19 is an essential investment that will help put an end to this pandemic around the world.
Make no mistake. We are tackling this pandemic head on, and this government's top priority remains protecting people from COVID-19, saving lives and helping Canadians get through this crisis. Our government is continuing to do everything in its power to overcome the challenges presented by this pandemic. However, we can be more effective if we work together. As elected members of the House of Commons, it is our duty to rise above our political interests and focus on protecting Canadians. This is a pivotal moment in our history, and it calls for rapid, unified action. We must unite to serve Canadians. Every day here in the House, we must work to fight the pandemic responsibly and effectively as we head into the home stretch. Canadians expect nothing less from us.
While we continue to see an increase in the number of infections, our government is remaining focused on its response and on rebuilding the economy, while preparing for any scenario during these uncertain times. Nonetheless, we know that the real solution, the wide-scale administration of an approved vaccine, will take time and there will be challenges along the way. In the meantime, Canadians must continue to manage the risks of COVID-19, follow public health advice and make a concerted effort to slow the spread of the virus. It is hard work that challenges us in a way that we could never have imagined. However, we will get through this together and come out of this even stronger.
I want to reiterate how essential it is that we commit to working together for the health and safety of all Canadians. To overcome this pandemic once and for all, we must all work together, every level of government, every community, all Canadians.
In closing, I want to thank the medical officer of health of eastern Ontario, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, and his team who have already started the vaccination campaign back home in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell. They are an incredible team.