May 21st, 2020

FACT CHECK: Doug Ford says he has been “all over” testing for two months while still failing to hit targets

QUEEN’S PARK – After Ontario failed to hit COVID-19 testing targets yet again today, Doug Ford declared he was “all over” testing and promised numbers would improve. But Ford has been making the same commitment since April:

April 8:
“We have the assessment sites ready, we have the testing capabilities right now, and we have the reagent. So there are no more excuses. We need to get it done, bottom line.” [1]

April 10:
“We are ramping it up… we are doing everything we can to test as many people as possible.” [2]

April 30:
“Believe me I was all over it this morning, they absolutely promised it’s going to be over 14,000 tomorrow and moving forward.” [3]

May 9:
"We hit a new target, a new record actually, it was over 19,000 tests, I think it was 19,200, so we were close to 20,000 tests." [4]

May 12:
“I don’t know anyone down here in the legislature who was screaming louder than I was about increasing the testing. I want to thank our public health right across this province. They have stepped it up tremendously... They tested over 19,000 a few days ago and 18,000 a couple of days before that... not only are we the leader here; we are now not only the leader in Canada, but in testing per capita ranked among the top globally, in the world.” [5]

May 19:
“We're going to ramp up this testing like this province has never seen… I’m going to be all over this testing.” [6]

NDP Opposition leader Andrea Horwath says Doug Ford’s claim that he’s all over testing, and ramping up testing hasn’t matched the facts – in fact, he hasn’t used Ontario’s full daily testing capacity even one time over the last month.

“Doug Ford needs to stop the rhetoric and get to work on the solutions,” said Horwath. “As isolation measures ease up, people are doing their part to keep everyone safe by wearing masks and practicing physical distancing, and Doug Ford needs to do his part by dramatically increasing testing and contact tracing.”

Sources:

[1] CP24, April 8 2020
https://www.cp24.com/news/ford-says-ontario-needs-to-begin-testing-everyone-possible-for-covid-19-1.4888378

[2] Toronto Star, April 10 2020
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/04/10/ontario-to-ramp-up-covid-19-testing-from-4000-to-16000-test-a-day.html

[3] Global News, April 30 2020
https://globalnews.ca/news/6886747/ontariooronavirus-cases-april-30-covid19/

[4] Premier’s press conference, May 9 2020
https://youtu.be/o0Y0NohEsdU?t=436

[5] Hansard, May 12 2020
http://hansardindex.ontla.on.ca/hansardeissue/42-1/l160.htm

[6] CBC, May 21 2020
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-testing-ontario-what-s-next-1.5577256