March 25 2024
Minister Sylvia Jones
Minister of Health
777 Bay Street, 5th Floor
Toronto, ON. M7A 2J3
Re: Providing Free Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Tests to Ontarians
Dear Minister Jones,
We are asking that you urgently provide COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to Toronto Public Health (TPH). TPH relied on the Province of Ontario to supply the city with free rapid tests since the Province of Ontario made the unfortunate decision to discontinue free widespread rapid test provision in July 2023. The remaining tests that TPH had expired on March 2, 2024, and the TPH website has yet to show any updates since.
As we continue to navigate through the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, it has become increasingly evident that access to rapid testing is a valuable tool in our arsenal against the virus, allowing for more timely and targeted interventions to curb its spread. We note that provinces like British Columbia still provide rapid tests for free in hundreds of pharmacies across their less populated province – Ontario should also ensure that tests are widely available.
Simply put, the demand for testing continues to outpace the rapid test supply that the Ontario government is providing. Based on our research, the average cost of a rapid test is $3.50 – $6.00 per test. This average cost is not affordable for families made up of frontline workers, with children in school, and with elders in long-term care, especially since they require frequent testing. If the Government of Ontario wants people to test and stay home when they are sick, tests must be readily available and provided free of charge.
Testing alone might not stop COVID-19 from spreading, but testing remains a useful layer of protection. We continue to see that frontline workers are at the greatest risk of COVID-19 infection – they deserve access to free tests to keep themselves, their co-workers, and their community safe. By providing rapid tests to Public Health Units across Ontario, we can enhance our ability to detect and contain outbreaks in high-risk settings such as schools, workplaces, and long-term care facilities. While COVID-19 infections are less deadly than they were before widespread vaccination, COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in Canada in 2022 – the most recent year for which we have data. 2022 was also the third year in a row where Canada’s life expectancy declined.
We urge you to prioritize the allocation of new COVID-19 rapid tests to TPH to address the pressing need for expanded testing capacity. Swift action in this regard will not only help to safeguard the health and well-being of our residents but also contribute to our collective efforts to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We trust that you will give due consideration to the urgent request outlined herein and take the necessary steps to ensure that TPH receives the support they deserve as they strive to fulfill their mandate of laying a robust foundation for the public health of all Ontarians.
Respectfully submitted,
Bhutila Karpoche
Official Opposition Critic for GTA Issues
Member of Provincial Parliament
Parkdale – High Park
Kristyn Wong-Tam
Official Opposition Critic for Small Business Issues
Member of Provincial Parliament
Toronto Centre
cc: Hon. Stan Cho, Minister of Long-Term Care