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
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'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.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
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.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.