To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WHEREAS in 2024, LifeLabs, the biggest community lab provider in Ontario, was bought by a U.S based company, called Quest Diagnostics;
WHEREAS in fall of 2025 LifeLabs announced its intention to close its Sudbury laboratory and send all specimens, such as bloodwork, to be tested at their Toronto and Mississauga laboratories;
WHEREAS the Sudbury testing facility plays an essential role in northern Ontario’s health care system;
WHEREAS the shutdown of this laboratory will significantly prolong the time required for individuals and their primary care providers to receive essential lab results, and
WHEREAS frequent highway closures during the harsh northern Ontario winters pose a risk to specimens and could result in them becoming unusable, necessitating retesting which could cause delays in diagnosis and treatment, ultimately jeopardizing patient health outcomes.
THEREFORE we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to consider the profound implications that the closure of Sudbury’s LifeLabs will have on the health and well-being of northern constituents and take immediate action to ensure this essential facility remains open.