NDP MPPs stand with the Ontario Health Coalition amidst American companies sending Ontario lab test to the U.S.

HAMILTON and NICKEL BELT – NDP Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addictions, and Primary Care, Dr. Robin Lennox (Hamilton Centre), and Shadow Minister of Health, France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) are standing with the Ontario Health Coalition who wrote a public letter to the Minister of Health amidst the decision of LifeLabs to send some Ontario lab samples to their US facilities.

Lifelabs has been a private for profit community lab provider in Ontario for many years. In 2024 they were purchased by an American company. Since then, we have seen the closure of the medical lab testing facility in Sudbury, as well as in Northwestern Ontario as they try and maximize their profits. Now they are taking their centralization a step further, sending some Ontario lab samples across the border to their centres in the US.

"It is unacceptable that the Ontario Health Coalition has yet to hear from the Minister of Health about Lifelabs’ recent announcement that Ontario patients’ lab tests will be going to medical laboratories in the United States for testing, instead of labs in Ontario” said MPP Lennox.

“This Conservative government is allowing more of our health care system to be handed over to American corporations. Ontarians want to know that their health information is going to be protected by this government, not outsourced to the United States.”

“Ontarians do not want their personal health information and laboratory testing sent across the border to the United States,” said MPP Gélinas. “Patients expect their medical data to be protected here at home and their health care dollars invested in Ontario hospitals and services. This decision raises serious concerns about privacy, quality, delays, and the dangers of growing privatization of essential parts of our health care system."