Ottawa Board of Trade expanding rapid testing program to help protect businesses during COVID-19 fourth wave
With all of the focus on vaccinations, some businesses are choosing to add rapid testing to keep their doors open. A program that gives businesses access to these tests is being expanded.
The Ottawa Board of Trade is expanding its antigen rapid testing kit distribution program until March 2022, supported by the Ontario government, after handing out more than 52,000 individual tests to almost 450 businesses.
"We have to find a way to live with COVID, we don’t know when this is going to end; but, we know that we cannot sustain these provincial wide lockdowns," says Sueling Ching, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade.
"We see as a strategy in a suite of strategies in order to keep our businesses open; to avoid the lockdowns and to help support our economic recovery, while keeping our population safe."
Ross Video is a high-tech company that has offices in Ottawa, and a manufacturing facility in Iroquois, Ont. Rapid tests are mandatory at their facilities,
"It raises the level of confidence amongst our employees, that we are doing everything humanly possible to protect not only them, but their families and our community at large," says Christopher Stone, Health, Safety and Disability Specialist at Ross.
"If we had an outbreak at our manufacturing facility, it would be very bad."
Stone says through the rapid testing program, they’ve completed approximately 15,000 tests; employees are tested every three days.
Ottawa Public Health says that rapid testing is considered, "an additional COVID-19 screening option and does not replace other required public health measures including self-screening, staying home when ill, masking, physical distancing & hand hygiene."
OPH adds that, "If a rapid antigen test is presumptive positive, then the individual must go for a PCR test at a testing assessment centre."
Recipe Unlimited, which owns chain restaurants like Harvey’s, Montana’s, Kelseys, and the Bier Markt has made testing mandatory at all of their corporately owned locations, and it’s been "highly adopted" at franchisee owned locations according to the company.
"We wanted to add an extra layer of protection for our staff, and the guests, and staff’s family; and, we thought a rapid testing program would do that," says Peter Chase, General Manager and Operating Partner at the Bier Markt.
For hostess Amanda Schmidt, who works at the Bier Markt, she says it offers an additional layer of protection.
"I did have a few other friends who were working at other restaurants, and this wasn’t a thing; so, I felt really comfortable and it is something that actually incentivized me to want to work here."
To date, they have completed 145,000 tests across Canada at both Corporate and Franchise owned locations, according to Recipe Unlimited.
The tests are available for businesses through the Ottawa Board of Trade, as well as the province.
While OPH is not directly involved with rapid antigen testing, they do have additional information on their site.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.