Here's where you can pick up a free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests in Ottawa Jan. 2 to 7

Cornwall coun. Justin Towndale is frustrated with a lack of rapid antigen tests in rural areas.

Ottawa residents will have eight chances to pick up a free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit across the city during the first week of January.

As part of a holiday testing blitz, the Ontario government is providing up to two million rapid tests free of charge at high-traffic locations across the province until mid-January.

Pop-up sites will be set up at Billings Bridge Shopping Centre and Place d'Orleans on Sunday and Monday, with other pop-up booths planned later in the week at Bayshore Shopping Centre, Hazeldean Mall and the Rideau Centre.

Here are the eight pop-up sites scheduled for Ottawa the week of Jan. 2 to 7:

SUNDAY, JAN. 2

• 10 a.m. – Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre on Place d'Orleans Drive
• 11 a.m. – Billings Bridge Shopping Centre at 2277 Riverside Drive

NOTE: Several people reported that test kits were handed out at Billings Bridge as early as 7 a.m. The provincial website did not change its start time for the test kit pop-up at Billings Bridge from 11 a.m., but it has since removed that location from the list. The mall said it handed out the kits when they arrived, which was well before 11 a.m.

MONDAY, JAN. 3

• 9:30 a.m.  – Billings Bridge Shopping Centre at 2277 Riverside Drive
• 10 a.m. – Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre on Place d'Orleans Drive

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5

• 7 a.m. – Bayshore Shopping Centre – 100 Bayshore Drive

THURSDAY, JAN. 6

• 7 a.m. – Bayshore Shopping Centre – 100 Bayshore Drive

FRIDAY, JAN. 7

• 9 a.m. – Hazeldean Mall – 300 Eagleson Road, Kanata
• 10 a.m. – Rideau Centre – 50 Rideau Street

There is a limit of one test kit per person at the distribution sites.

Staff ran out of tests very quickly during pop-up clinics at the Walter Baker Recreation Centre and St. Laurent Shopping Centre on Thursday and Friday this week.

Ottawa Public Health and the city of Ottawa are not directly involved with the distribution of the rapid antigen tests. The city says OPH provided recommendations for pop-up site locations, while staff provide logistical support at distribution sites on city property.