63% of Canada's small business owners said they would consider using rapid COVID tests with their employees in order to remain open. But until very recently, provinces have focused on lockdowns as the only measure in order to keep the pandemic in check. https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/media/news-releases/nearly-two-thirds-small-businesses-would-consider-using-covid-19-rapid-tests

Rapid screening is not a panacea, but can play an important role in focusing actions on preventing outbreaks, allowing the rest of the economy to remain open. Canada has millions of such tests sitting in warehouses.

We have spent billions of dollars cratering our economy, found thousands of person hours for inspectors to fine flower shops selling arrangements on their curb, but have lacked the political interest or will to implement wide scale rapid testing.

69% of restaurants and hospitality businesses said they would consider using rapid screening for their staff. Canada needs a model to allow employees to visit their local pharmacy for a test, with the data shared back quickly with the employee and employer.

Yes, there are lots of HR, privacy and other implications, but we can pull this together. CFIB has been working on a Federal Advisory Committee to offer help on how to make this happen.

Governments need to ensure that they allow for and support more testing of asymptomatic people as well as eliminate restrictions on who can conduct the test.

But this is month 11 of the pandemic and we are just starting. Meanwhile, governments, like Ontario's, continue to focus on lockdowns. I get why rapid testing wasn't in place for COVID wave 1, but it is inexcusable that we are only beginning to focus on this at the end of wave 2.