Canada will invest C$2.5 billion ($1.8 billion) in measures to help the hard-hit
Oil and gas industry during the
Coronavirus outbreak, which has killed 1,250 people in the country, Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau said on Friday.
![Canada offers C$2.5 billion in aid for hard-hit energy sector; death toll hits 1,250](https://media.zenfs.com/en-US/reuters.com/9edd17841dca0f20f29d81f663d90bfb)
The sector, which accounts for 10.6% of Canada's gross domestic product, has urged Ottawa to free up credit and cash to tackle the effects of the pandemic and rock-bottom oil prices.
Trudeau said energy sector workers have faced "layers of calamity" and Ottawa would invest C$1.7 billion to clean up orphan and abandoned wells in three provinces.