Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner discovered the Canadian government directed more than $411 million towards COVID-19 airport testing in 2022. .“Long after most countries around the world stopped mandatory airport COVID testing, and while airlines, airport and the tourism industry were begging for Justin Trudeau to drop testing requirement, while air travelers to Canada suffered chaos at our borders, the Liberal government spent an appalling $411 million dollars for more mandatory COVID airport testing,” said Rempel Garner in a Monday press release. .This news comes after Rempel Garner submitted an order paper to the Canadian government asking for the information. .The order paper said the largest contract went to Dynacare at $120 million. The contract ran from January until Monday. .Dynacare's contract was about testing capacity for COVID-19 at Canada-United States border sites in Manitoba and Quebec. It was signed in December. .The order paper said the second largest contract was LifeLabs ($100 million). The contract was from February to Monday. .LifeLabs's contract covered testing capacity for COVID-19 at Canada-US border crossings in Yukon, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. .LifeLabs had another deal ($94.4 million). The contract lasted from June to Monday. .The contract was about COVID-19 testing in Ontario. It was established in May. .Other deals included Biron Groupe Sante ($74.8 million) and Switch Health Holdings ($22.2 million). They were signed in December and June, and they ended on Monday. .Rempel Garner called these findings “shocking.” .“While Canadians are struggling to afford to buy groceries and heat their homes, this waste of money is inexcusable,” she said. .“Canada’s tourism and airline industry — and Canadians in general — deserve an apology and an explanation.”.The Canadian government announced in September it would be dropping COVID-19 restrictions at the Canadian border effective Oct. 1. .READ MORE: Federal government ending border vaccine rules, mandatory ArriveCan use on October 1."Based on the data accumulated over the last few weeks, we are announcing the government of Canada will not renew the order in council that expires on Sept. 30," said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. .Travellers would no longer need to submit information through ArriveCan, provide proof of vaccination, undergo COVID-19 arrival testing, carry out COVID-19-related isolation or quarantine, monitor if they are developing symptoms of the disease, undergo health checks for travel on air and rail, or wear masks on planes and trains.
