“Free” rapid tests aren’t free at Walmart

NDP demands Ford, Elliott order companies not to require minimum purchases to get a rapid test

BRAMPTON – At Walmart, to get a “free” rapid test you must make a minimum $35 online-only purchase. Andrea Horwath and the NDP are calling on Doug Ford to stop all corporations from forcing people to pay anything to get access to a rapid test.

“What we need is free access to an important health care tool,” said NDP Deputy Leader Sara Singh. “Not free-with-minimum-purchase.

“This is a tool in the fight against COVID-19. Not a prize in the bottom of the cereal box, and not a promotional item to help multi-billion-dollar big-box empires draw more customers in.”

The NDP wants rapid tests accessible to everyone, for free, distributed through the mail and in person. The NDP also wants Ford to reverse his decision to block people from getting a PCR COVID test if they’re worried they might have the illness. In December 2021, Ford cut off access to the gold-standard lab-based testing.