Sask. premier wants Ottawa to send 1 million rapid COVID-19 tests a month

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said the province has asked the federal government for one million rapid COVID-19 tests per month. 

"I believe our standing request to the federal government is for a million rapid tests each and every month and then to distribute those out to schools or to businesses and make them available to the broader public as well," Moe said in a COVID update Thursday.

Moe spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sept. 29 about securing more tests, among other requests, to help deal with the province's dire COVID-19 situation. 

The federal government has bought over 40 million tests to give to provinces and territories. 

Andrew MacKendrick, spokesperson for federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu, told CBC News that Ottawa can provide more tests, but noted Saskatchewan still has hundreds of thousands of unused tests.

As of Sept. 3, Saskatchewan had received 1,865,696 rapid antigen tests, according to the federal government's latest records. Only 309,130 of the more than 1.8 million tests received (16.5 per cent) have been reported as "used" to Health Canada.

"There is still a significant supply, as far as we're aware, of what is available in Saskatchewan," MacKendrick said. "But obviously we'll continue to provide more if more is asked for and needed."

The province is receiving 2.6 million self-tests from federal allocation by mid-October, according to the Saskatchewan Health Ministry. 

Sask. may formally ask Ottawa for help

Moe also wants Health Canada to approve more rapid testing devices. 

MacKenrick says if there are specific products that Saskatchewan or other provinces want to see approved, they can tell the manufacturer to submit for approval.

"Health Canada will review as much as it can and approve as much as it can because all hands are on deck with this," he said.

"Any product that would help fight against COVID is something that Health Canada will continue to do."

Health Canada has authorized more than 30 rapid and antigen testing devices.

The federal government has said it's ready to help Saskatchewan deal with its COVID-19 situation. 

Moe says the province may make an official request for more health-care workers, as Saskatchewan continues to break hospitalization records. 

"We may in the next number of days make that formal request but as I said earlier, we're also realistic about what the federal government can actually provide," Moe said. 

Rollout comes too late: NDP

Elementary schools have received nearly half a million rapid tests this week. Many schools ran out of tests immediately, as they were given enough tests for 15 per cent of students 11 and under.

The Opposition NDP says the rollout is happening too late.

"This should have happened months ago," Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said. "They should have had a plan for day one of school opening for rapid testing."

Moe says the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, activated Thursday to streamline the COVID response between ministries, will consider going outside the federal government to procure more tests.

"They are a first line of defence and offence, really, in our battle in this fourth wave of COVID," Moe said. 

September was the third-deadliest month for COVID-19 in Saskatchewan since the pandemic began, with 88 COVID-19-related deaths last month.