Sattler demands to know why testing has been capped in London

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP MPP Peggy Sattler (London West) asked Doug Ford Wednesday to explain why his government is capping testing in London.

A leaked government memo, obtained by CBC London, states bluntly: “do not proceed with any new growth or expansion of assessment centres at this time”

“Londoners are doing their part to limit the spread of COVID-19. They’re following public health guidelines, and are lining up for hours to get tests for themselves or their children. But now the government is capping how many tests can be done in London,” said Sattler during question period at the Ontario legislature. “Why is this government capping testing in London instead of allowing assessment capacity to expand?,” asked Sattler.

Sattler says the Ford government is scrambling to ration testing after they failed to expand capacity in preparation for the second wave that experts told us was coming. The government’s failure to plan for a second wave means tests are now being capped in both southwestern Ontario and eastern Ontario.

“The premier knew that his government had struggled to complete even 20,000 tests a day in the spring. He knew that demands for testing would increase in the fall as students returned to school and post-secondary education. He knew that a testing backlog has been growing, leaving people who do get a test waiting days for their results.”

“Why does the government think it’s acceptable to cut off the line and cap the number of COVID tests available to the people who need them?,” asked Sattler.