The funds will bring Canada’s total monetary donation to COVAX to approximately $ 700 million for the purchase, delivery and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines for low-income countries.

The money is intended to help Canada meet its promise to donate at least 200 million doses by the end of the year, including at least 38 million doses from its own domestic supplies.

So far, Canada has sent 14.2 million doses to 19 countries through COVAX and another 762,000 directly to six countries through bilateral vaccine donation agreements.

Ottawa said an additional 87 million doses were purchased by COVAX along with previous financial donations from Canada, but that number was based on a cost-per-dose formula developed by the UK. COVAX says it cannot confirm the exact number.

International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a recent interview that Canada does not send dose donations until they are definitely distributed and used by the receiving country before they expire.