The Liberal government has introduced a new bill to respond to COVID-19 rapid test needs across the country.
Bill C-10, an act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19, would give Health Canada the authority to purchase and distribute up to $2.5 billion worth of rapid tests across the country.
“As COVID-19 remains a global threat, driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the demand for rapid tests has increased worldwide,” reads a statement from Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.
“This bill will allow Health Canada to buy the necessary rapid tests so that jurisdictions across the country can identify cases early, break the chain of transmissions, and reduce outbreaks.”
Duclos tabled the bill in the House of Commons on Monday, MPs first day back to work following winter recess.
The Liberals earmarked $1.7 billion to secure rapid antigen testing supplies in their December fiscal and economic update.
To expedite parliamentary approval of that funding, Government House Leader Mark Holland explained on Monday that the government has extracted that specific pledge from the broader economic and fiscal update bill to get the process moving.
Earlier this month, the government announced that 140 million rapid additional rapid tests would be delivered to the provinces and territories by the end of January. They were to be divided up on a per-capita basis.
That shipment was on top of a fulfilled request of 35 million rapid tests in December.
Some provinces and territories have complained that shipments have been slow to arrive as demand increased during the recent surge of COVID-19 cases across the country.
With a file from CTV News’ Rachel Aiello
