BREAKING: Trudeau has 'greater, greener goals' for Alberta's oil economy, says province must 'innovate'

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed media on Thursday, providing new details on wage top-ups for Canadians making low wages.

Trudeau started by talking about the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of 6 Canadian soldiers, as Trudeau attended a memorial yesterday for the fallen.

"They will live on in our hearts, and I know the thoughts of all Canadians are with the families and loved ones," said Trudeau.

Trudeau provided more details regarding topping up wages for low-wage essential workers, with a focus on those making less than $2,500 a month. Those jobs include front-line workers in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and those working in the food industry.

Some provinces, including Saskatchewan, have already moved ahead with the measure, announcing that those making less than $2,500 a month would receive a $400 a month top up, for 16 weeks.

Trudeau said it will be up to the provinces and territories to determine who exactly qualifies for the wage increase

Trudeau confirmed that a agreement was made with "all provinces and territories," for Canadians "who are providing us with essential services so we can continue to keep our families safe and healthy."

Trudeau said that details were still being worked out with the last few provinces, with Trudeau calling it a "truly collaborative effort."

"We forward around $ billion from the federal government to be matched three-quarters from the federal government, one quarter from the provincial government, on helping those workers right across the country," said Trudeau.

"But because of the variants across the country, both of the COVID-19 situation and of delivery of essential services including health care, we felt that it was that the provinces move forward in choosing exactly how they can best help the workers who are doing such important work, right across the country," the prime minister continued.

Trudeau then touched on PPE which never made it to Canada, specifically from China. Over 1,000,000 masks were purchased by Canada, which never made it to Canada. Trudeau said that a "small number" of PPE was not usable, compared to the greater number of equipment we have received from abroad.

On Albertan oil, Trudeau sees a greener future

When Trudeau was asked whether he shared the same assessment as the Green Party's Elizabeth May as to whether Canada's fossil fuel industry was dead, Trudeau said he "does not" share that sentiment.

"If we are to move forward in transforming our economy towards lower emissions and cleaner processes, workers and innovators in Alberta and across the country in the energy sector are going to be an essential part of that transformation," said the prime minister.

"As we move forward to a different energy mix, to lower fossil fuel emissions, lower green house gas emissions, we need the innovation, the hard work, and the vision and the creativity of people working right now in the energy sector. We need to support Albertans, and other people working in the energy sector, through this incredible, difficult time," he continued.

"We need their capacity to innovate, and figure out how we're going to move forward towards our greater, greener goals. We can't do it without them."