Saturday, December 27, 2025
ADVT 
National

Leave regulators to approve COVID tests: Freeland

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Sep, 2020 08:27 PM
  • Leave regulators to approve COVID tests: Freeland

Health Canada says it can't provide any information about the status of any of the rapid-testing devices for COVID-19 it is reviewing.

Pressure is mounting on the federal government to approve tests that can provide faster results as hospitals and public health agencies across Canada struggle to keep up with the demand for COVID-19 testing.

Deputy Conservative leader Candice Bergen says the government promised in March that getting rapid tests was a priority and yet half a year later, there are still none in use in Canada.

At least 14 such devices are under review by Health Canada but the department's spokesman says he cannot comment on the status of the applications during the scientific assessment process.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says it would be wrong for politicians to put pressure on Health Canada to approve any of the devices.

Several other countries have had some of the faster tests in use for months now, including Japan and the United States, but Health Minister Patty Hajdu said last week Canada is not yet convinced the technology is good enough.

MORE National ARTICLES

StatCan probes pandemic hit to inflation

StatCan probes pandemic hit to inflation
Statistics Canada says Canadians' buying patterns changed so much during the COVID-19 pandemic that its measure of consumer inflation went a little wobbly.

StatCan probes pandemic hit to inflation

Police say Abbotsford, B.C., homicide targeted

Police say Abbotsford, B.C., homicide targeted
Investigators say a shooting that killed a 43-year-old man east of Vancouver on Friday night was likely targeted.

Police say Abbotsford, B.C., homicide targeted

PM: wage subsidy to be extended to December

PM: wage subsidy to be extended to December
The federal government is extending its program to subsidize wages in companies hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic until December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.

PM: wage subsidy to be extended to December

8 positive tests: Four sites in Kelowna, B.C., now linked to COVID-19 exposures

8 positive tests: Four sites in Kelowna, B.C., now linked to COVID-19 exposures
Health officials are monitoring several cases of COVID-19 exposure in Kelowna, B.C., and say they've identified two more locations where people may have contracted the respiratory illness.

8 positive tests: Four sites in Kelowna, B.C., now linked to COVID-19 exposures

Toronto Police need your help in locating missing 23 year old Arvinder Bhullar

Toronto Police need your help in locating missing 23 year old Arvinder Bhullar
The Toronto Police Service is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing man. Arvinder Bhullar, 23, was last seen on Thursday, July 9, 2020, at approximately 6 p.m., in the Martin Grove Road and Steeles Avenue West area.

Toronto Police need your help in locating missing 23 year old Arvinder Bhullar

Canadian economy adds 953,000 jobs in June

Canadian economy adds 953,000 jobs in June
Nearly one million more Canadians had jobs in June, Statistics Canada says, as businesses forced to close by the pandemic began to reopen and the country continued to recoup steep losses over March and April.

Canadian economy adds 953,000 jobs in June