OTTAWA -- The Ontario Government is making changes to testing at Ontario's COVID-19 assessment centres.

Starting Sunday, walk-in testing at COVID-19 assessment centres in Ottawa and across Ontario will be discontinued. Assessment centres will be closed across the region on Sunday and Monday, unless you already have an appointment. 

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, all COVID-19 assessment centres will start transitioning to an appointment-based system. Patients with COVID-19 symptoms will have to call one of the province's 153 assessment centres and speak to a nurse before making an appointment for a swab.

The changes come after Ottawa's two COVID-19 Care Clinics reported "minimal" line-ups on Friday.

On Saturday, COVID-19 testing is available at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena, the COVID-19 Drive-Thru testing centre at RCGT Park and by appointment only at 13 pharmacies in Ottawa. You can also get tested at select places across eastern Ontario.

Ontario health officials are reminding people that they can only seek testing for COVID-19 if you are:

  • Showing COVID-19 symptoms
  • Have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by your public health unit or exposure notification through the COVID Alert App
  • A resident or worker in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by your local public health unit; and
  • Eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care

Here is a look at the hours of operation for the COVID-19 testing centres in Ottawa today:

COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena (151 Brewer Way): 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Parents must book an appointment for children testing.

COVID-19 Care Clinic – Moodie location (595 Moodie Drive): Closed Saturday and Sunday

COVID-19 Care Clinic – Heron location (1485 Heron Road) Closed Saturday and Sunday.

COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre on Coventry Road: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You must book an appointment for the drive-thru testing facility. 

COVID-19 testing available at 13 pharmacies across Ottawa (You must book an appointment and pharmacies will perform active screening)

Shoppers Drug Mart

1180 Walkley Road, K1V 2M5
(613) 737 3344
More info...

647 Earl Armstrong Road, K1V 2G2
(613) 822-6746
More info...

455 Bank Street, K2P 1Y9
(613) 238 9041
More info...

541 Montreal Road, K1K 0V1
(613) 740-0616
More info...

3940 Innes Road, K1W 1K9
(613) 834-7383
More info...

2954 St. Joseph Boulevard, K1C 1G7
More info...

1937 Portobello Boulevard, K4A 4W9
More info...

1 - 2148 Carling Avenue, K2A 1H1
(613) 725 9990
More info...

1309 Carling Avenue, K1Z 7L3
(613)-722-4277
More info...

1102 Klondike Road, K2K 1X7
(613) 592-6010
More info...

Cedarview Pharmacy

112 - 4100 Strandherd Drive, K2J 0V2
(613) 823-1700
More info...

Medicine Shoppe

19 - 5303 Canotek Road, K1J 9M1
(613) 745-5905
More info...

Rexall

1615 Orleans Boulevard, K1C 7E2
(613) 824-0082
More info...

COVID-19 testing centres across eastern Ontario

Calypso Waterpark – 2015 Calypso Street, off Highway 417

Open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(Children must be at least 1 year old to get tested at this location)

Alexandria COVID-19 Assessment Centre – 62 Anik Street, Alexandria

Open Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only (call 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120)

COVID-19 Testing in Almonte

COVID-19 testing by appointment only. Call 613-325-1208 from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Testing is done Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Brockville Memorial Centre – 100 Magedoma Avenue, Brockville

Open to walk-ins at Brockville Memorial Centre 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday

Cornwall COVID-19 Assessment Centre – 850 McConnell Avenue, Cornwall

By appointment only (Please call 613-938-4240, ext. 5420)

(Children must be at least 3 years old to get tested at this location)

COVID-19 Assessment Centre (Beechgrove Complex) – Kingston

The Beechgrove Complex, 51 Heakes Lane, Kingston

Open Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

COVID-19 Assessment Centre – Napanee

Lenadco Building at 310 Bridge Street West, Napanee.

Call before visiting: 613-354-8254

Rockland COVID-19 Assessment Centre – 2241 Chamberland St., Rockland

Open Monday to Saturday, by appointment only

Fill this COVID assessment centre intake form and a nurse will call you for an appointment.

Smiths Falls by appointment only

Open Monday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Call 613-283-2330, ext. 1401 to book an appointment