At Ottawa's only rapid test pop-up site, thousands wait for hours and many are turned away
Thousands of people lined up in the early morning hours in Barrhaven on Tuesday to pick up COVID-19 rapid tests, but many were turned away empty-handed.
The lineups started as early as 4 a.m. at the Minto Recreation Complex at Cambrian and Greenbank roads. Several callers told CTV News Ottawa that the first 1,000 people in line were given wristbands and told to return later today. The people with wristbands were lined back up at the complex just before noon, when the tests were set to be handed out.
Everyone else was turned away. One caller to the CTV Ottawa newsroom said the lineup of cars stretched several kilometres down nearby Greenbank Road, and the parking lot was jammed full of cars well before 7 a.m.
The issue was a shipment delay. A spokesperson for the health ministry said the shipping delay is resolved.
Nicholas Belisle lined up at 6 a.m. to get his hands on what may be one of the most in-demand items this Christmas.
"Last time I waited in a line that long was for Sens playoffs tickets in 2007 - when they made the cup final."
He says there were already more than 600 people in the queue when he arrived Tuesday morning.
"I just spent last weekend with several hundred children in Montreal for my job, so I wanted to be (tested) for my family. This will put me in a peace of mind."
Ariana Rochford left her car a kilometre away because of the traffic. She walked for 15 minutes to get to the line, but didn't end up getting a test.
"There were a lot of people in the parking lot not knowing what to do, or where to go. Finally, we found out that there was a lineup somewhere in the residential street - so not even in the parking lot of Minto," she said.
Christine Rose was the 10th person in line, arriving at 4:45 a.m.
"Just as a small precaution, every little bit helps … before meeting for Christmas, a small group," she explained.
The Ontario government is running pop-ups across the province to distribute free rapid antigen tests.
The Minto Recreation Complex is the only location announced in Ottawa so far. The province said the tests would be available at 7 a.m. Tuesday through Friday this week. A sign at the rec centre tells people seeking the tests to return Wednesday at 7 a.m.
Nine other locations are expected to be announced in the coming days. Medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches said last week province has chosen 10 pop-up sites in Ottawa to distribute rapid tests. The province says it updates its online list every Friday.
Last week, the province handed out rapid test kits through 100 LCBO stores, including seven in Ottawa. Hundreds lined up for those Friday morning only to be told they were not available. The tests arrived later in the day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.