​​BRAMPTON, ON (May 25, 2020) – Today, the City of Brampton is asking all City employees to seek a test for COVID-19 by their local health unit. The City recommends that all employees who believe that they have been exposed to or have contracted COVID-19 obtain a test. This request follows the Ontario Government’s decision to provide additional testing capacity and test all individuals that request it.
 
Peel Public Health has been directed by Ontario Health to begin immediately testing anyone who visits a local assessment centre and to not turn anyone away. Residents seeking a test no longer need to be referred to an assessment centre by Telehealth Ontario, Primary Care, or Public Health.
 
The City is actively taking steps to help flatten the curve and stop the spread of COVID-19 in Brampton through additional safety measures at City facilities and on Brampton Transit, and closures of programs and services that encourage large gatherings or make physical distancing difficult.  
 
The Ministry of Health will list all assessment centres on the Province’s website, including locations, so that the public and employees can find assessment centres easily. The City welcomes the Provincial Government’s commitment to increased testing and mobile assessments, and will work with local hospitals to facilitate mobile assessment at the worksites of the City’s essential and critical services.
 
The City will also be encouraging local businesses, through the Brampton Board of Trade and Downtown Brampton BIA, to request that employees working at businesses that have reopened in recent weeks to also seek a test.
 
Quotes 
 
“I spoke with the Premier yesterday and was encouraged by the increase in testing capacity across the Province. We are taking the Government up on their request that those without symptoms be tested for COVID-19, so that Brampton can lead by example in Ontario by requesting City employees be tested in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
 
“The City of Brampton is collaborating with our local health partners and our labour partners to combat COVID-19 and we know that additional testing can play a role in mitigating the impact of this virus on Brampton’s population, especially for our essential and critical service employees. Together, we will continue to work to flatten the curve and stop the spread.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton
 
“As a critical service moving residents across Brampton during this pandemic, our workers are doing their jobs and working hard on the frontlines. We support our members being tested proactively so that we can keep them and our transit riders safe, as we work together to flatten the curve.”
- Frank Vani, President, Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1573

“Our first responders are taking the necessary steps to ensure that we tackle this COVID-19 pandemic head-on. In light of the increased capacity for testing by the Province, we are strongly encouraging our members to be tested even if they don’t have symptoms, so that we can reduce the spread of this virus.”
- Paul Lecompte, President, Brampton Professional Fire Fighters Association, Local 1068
 
“Our members continue to contribute to delivering City services during this challenging time and we are encouraging our members to be part of the solution so that we can get back to regular business as soon as possible. With increased testing available, we recommend that members be tested so that we can do our part to conquer COVID-19.”
- Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 831

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