Federal health officials say Canada now has purchase agreements with seven COVID-19 vaccine producers.

Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Doctor Howard Njoo says most are in the final stages of testing before they can go to Health Canada for approval.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate could be approved in Canada next month.

Canada has a purchase deal to buy at least 20 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, with the first four million of those on track to arrive before the end of March.

Officials say they expect the first doses of vaccines to be delivered in the first three months of the new year.

The Trudeau government has been in the hot seat this week, after the prime minister acknowledged that some countries will get COVID-19 vaccines before Canada does, because Canada doesn’t have the capacity to make them.

Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said Thursday Trudeau’s comments came as a “surprise.”