LONDON – MPPs Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), Teresa Armstrong (London—Fanshawe) and Peggy Sattler (London West) have sent a letter Monday to Premier Doug Ford requesting that he urgently designate the N6A postal code, which has the highest positivity rate in the province, as a provincial hot spot and vaccinating its residents as soon as possible. London’s MPPs are also asking that the government provide additional funding to enhance testing and tracing capacity, and prioritize essential front-line education staff to reduce community spread in our schools.
Honourable Doug Ford
Premier of Ontario
Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Room 281
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
April 12, 2021
Premier Ford,
COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in parts of London, Ontario. Between March 28 and April 3rd, 28.97% of tests among residents from the N6A postal code came back positive. This area comprises Old North, downtown, and Western University. London therefore has the highest positivity rate in the province. The situation is dire.
Furthermore, London set a record for daily COVID-19 infections this weekend. Over the weekend, nine schools across Thames Valley confirmed new positive cases. According to TVDSB, there are at least 17 schools with active COVID-19 cases. At Western University, there are currently eight student residence outbreaks. These populations must be vaccinated as soon as possible or we risk further community spread.
Despite the alarming spread of COVID-19, your government has not designated the N6A postal code a hot spot. As London MPPs, we are calling on you to dramatically ramp up efforts to aid the N6A postal code by declaring it a provincial hot spot and vaccinating its residents as soon as possible. These vaccines are essential to protecting residents in this at-risk area. We are also asking that you provide additional funding to enhance testing and tracing capacity, and prioritize essential front-line education staff to reduce community spread in our schools.
At a time when London is doing its part by caring for overflow patients from other areas, residents in London need provincial supports so that we can prevent more infections, reduce the pressure on our hospital system, and save lives.
Time is of the essence, Premier.
Terence Kernaghan
MPP London North Centre
Teresa Armstrong
MPP London-Fanshawe
Peggy Sattler
MPP London West
C. Hon. Christine Elliott, Minister of Health
Letter to Premier (PDF)