Alberta's second $1M vaccine lotto prize goes to Calgarian Amie Gee

Premier Jason Kenney says programs like the province's vaccine bus are helping Alberta's get immunized, but a bigger incentive plan is in the works.

CALGARY -

Alberta has a new millionaire, after the province announced that the second winner of the $1 million vaccine lottery was Calgarian Amie Gee.

Gee's name was drawn from more than 1.85 million eligible Albertans, according to a release issued by the province early Thursday evening.

42 other vaccinated Albertans won travel prizes donated by Air Canada, WestJet, the Rocky Mountaineer and Juniper Hotel.

“I can think of no better way to celebrate getting vaccinated (than) by planning a fantastic trip," said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in a release.

"Thanks to our corporate partners at WestJet, Air Canada, and Rocky Mountaineer, there are now over 40 Albertans who are planning to do just that. Congratulations to Amie, and all of the other winners. I encourage Albertans who haven’t gotten their second dose to do so as soon as possible to qualify for the final draw at the end of September!”

Albertans who registered for the first two draws are automatically eligible for the third draw and don't need to re-register.

Tracey McIvor, a resident of Langdon, Alta. was the first winner, announced on July 1.

The Open For Summer lottery is just one part of helping Albertans to get vaccinated, Kenney said, in his Facebook Live appearance Wednesday night.

"We have worked with community groups in every part of the province, reaching out. We have the vaccine bus that's going around the province (and) we've worked with employers. We've tried to leave no stone unturned."

An Air Canada flight departing for Toronto, bottom, taxis to a runway as a Westjet flight bound for Palm Springs takes off at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., Friday, March 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

NEW VACCINE INCENTIVE

If the promise of cold, hard cash wasn't enough to get needles into the arms of Albertans, Kenney said more  incentives are in the works.

"We're going to be the first province in Canada that will be rolling out a new and different incentive that will hopefully get the attention of those folks who haven't gotten around to it yet."

However, he didn't share many more details.

While the prizes are a good way to get the word out, he added that all Albertans should understand the medical evidence that shows vaccinations are the best way to defend against COVID-19 infections.

"I think we are the only province that has a specific billing code to encourage doctors to call their panel of patients who have not been vaccinated to share with them the medical information about its benefits," he said.

"The most important part of this plan is to continue to push up the vaccination numbers, we need to ensure the health capacity is there and we'll have more to say in the days to come."