After backlash in Mississauga, Hamilton, Oakville, St. Catharines and Oshawa, Walmart backs down – COVID-19 rapid tests will be free

The major retail chain Walmart Canada says it has committed to giving out COVID-19 tests for free at locations in Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton and across Ontario.

The retailer wound up being Wednesday’s main character on Ontario politics Twitter after it was discovered that it planned to only give out rapid antigen tests (RATs) with a minimum $35 online purchase, as part of an Ontario PC Party government plan to increase distribution of tests. Since the tests were purchased by the federal government with Ontario residents’ tax dollars, there was a swift and widespread backlash from doctors and elected leaders. Ontario New Democratic Party Leader Andrea Horwath and NDP deputy leader Sara Singh, who respectively represent Hamilton and Brampton, were critical of the decision, as was Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie.

The rapid antigen tests help detect COVID‑19 and stop the spread of the virus, which was causing more than 60 deaths per day in Ontario in mid-January. They can provide results in about 15 minutes.

The province is planning to distribute about 5.5 RATs per week through retail locations. Health Minister Christine Elliott announced the new partnership at a Walmart store on Wednesday.

Shortly after 5 p.m., Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who had been pressed for weeks to expand the distribution of RATs, said “free is free.”

Crombie added: “This simply isn’t right.”

This simply isn’t right. The FREE #RapidTests the province has made available to the public should remain just that – free and accessible. No purchase required. They shouldn’t be treated like a prize. https://t.co/U7UxEGqtnn

— Bonnie Crombie 🇨🇦 (@BonnieCrombie) February 9, 2022

By early evening, Walmart Canada said it had revised the policy. Its about-face was first reported by CHCH-TV in Hamilton.

“Our intention of distributing the Rapid Antigen Test kits through online grocery pick-up was to avoid long lines in Ontario stores & offer them in a safe, efficient & equitable manner,” Walmart Canada stated. “We’ve heard the concerns raised & will make kits available in these stores for free.”

UPDATE: Our intention of distributing the Rapid Antigen Test kits through online grocery pick-up was to avoid long lines in Ontario stores & offer them in a safe, efficient & equitable manner. We’ve heard the concerns raised & will make kits available in these stores for free

— Walmart Canada (@WalmartCanada) February 10, 2022

Loblaws and its affiliates such as Fortino’s, Real Canadian Superstore, Your Independent Grocer and Zehrs are among the participating chains. Other chains that are involved are Food Basics, Longo’s, Metro, Rexall, Sobeys, Shoppers Drug Mart, The North West Company.

There are 97 grocery and pharmacy locations in Mississauga that are expected to receive RATs. There are 74 participating locations in Brampton, and another 70 in Hamilton.

Plans call for about 60 locations in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland to have the tests available, along with other spots in Niagara Region.

Burlington is expected to have tests at over 40 locations. Thirty-two locations in neighbouring Oakville are also expected to receive tests.

In Durham, there are 35 locations in Oshawa, 19 in Pickering and 17 in Whitby.