Over the past six months we’ve learned a lot and heard a lot about the importance of testing in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In June, I wrote the Minister of Health requesting that the government establish a testing centre, perhaps even a mobile one, in Orléans to provide service for our ever-growing community.  You can read this letter HERE.

The Ottawa Hospital is running the local testing centres so in the absence of a reply from the Minister, I joined the other elected officials from Orléans in reaching out to the new CEO of the Ottawa Hospital to request he look to Orléans as a location for testing.

He has shown some interest and is apparently working on it.

In Ottawa there is a capacity for between around 1,500 – 2,000 tests per day.  With school starting there is concern that this is not nearly enough.  I joined Ottawa area colleagues MPPs John Fraser, Lucille Collard and Amanda Simard in writing to the Minister of Health requesting that she ensure testing capacity in Ottawa be expanded to meet the needs of our community – especially in the context of a return to school. You can read our letter HERE.

Ensuring we have adequate testing capacity in Ottawa, with a particular focus on access for Orléans residents will be something I continue to work on at Queen’s Park now that the Legislature has resumed.