Province’s world leader’ status at risk

Experts say decision to close disease testing sites will stifle research, harm vulnerable populations

- MEGAN OGILVIE

Researchers are warning that Ontario's decision to shut down its wastewater surveillance program that proved crucial in tracking COVID-19 will limit the province's ability to rapidly respond to infectious disease threats, including new COVID variants, respiratory viruses and bird flu.

A key member of the waterwater surveillance program says Ontario has been a "world leader and now we'll probably be one of the passengers" by the scale-back that will also stifle research.

Cancelling the provincial surveillance system the largest in Canawill drastically reduce the number of testing sites in the province, experts say. They also caution that shuttering the program will mean that monitoring may no longer take place in smaller communities and in rural and northern areas, potentially missing vulnerable populations.

Robert Delatolla, a civil engineering professor at the University of Ottawa, said he's been told the Public Health Agency of Canada is planning to conduct wastewater testing in five cities in Ontario, with a possible total of nine testing sites.