Alberta free COVID-19 kits are being sold at Staples
Posted Nov 4, 2022 7:02 pm.
Last Updated Nov 4, 2022 7:09 pm.
Alberta COVID-19 testing kits, which have been available for free to people in the province, have been found for sale in Staples stores.
A tweet on social media points to a Staples store in Calgary and their sales of the testing kits, and they remind the company that they are free.
@citynewscalgary how is something that the @YourAlberta provides its Albertans for free during a global crisis and had every Albertan going from pharmacy to pharmacy and waiting in line. How much profit has @StaplesCanada made from these free kits?Scammers! #Shameless pic.twitter.com/QHyKvhsCR5
— Hurricane (@ADHDHurricane) November 4, 2022
An Alberta Health Services (AHS) worker, who CityNews has been asked to keep anonymous for their safety, was surprised to find them for sale.
“I got shocked like how is this possible? Why are they making a profit out of something that the Alberta government provides to all Albertans for free?” they said.
“I remember a time when there was such a shortage. And you couldn’t find anyone anywhere because we drove all day from pharmacy to pharmacy trying to just get one kit. And these guys are just selling it like nothing.”
COVID-19 rapid testing kits are being sold online and in-store for $24.99, which come with five tests.
“The items in question are available for small businesses that want to provide rapid testing for their employees and do not have access to a consistent bulk supply,” said Staples Canada in a statement to CityNews.
“For this reason, we are providing a practical solution, by giving them the option of purchasing tests for professional use and distribution among employee groups.”
Lorian Hardcastle is an associate professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary and also works in the Cumming School Of Medicine.
She says the missing piece of the puzzle is where these kits came from.
“If they’re coming from private industry and private industry is filling all of its government contracts and is able to supply various private entities who provide tests for travel or for sale, then I think that’s not problematic because the key issue of supplying the public is still happening,” Hardcastle said.
A Staples in the Beltline of Calgary on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. (Henna Saeed, CityNews photo)
In a follow-up response to CityNews, Staples Canada has confirmed that “the supplier is the source for these specific items.”
The free COVID-19 kits are still available at pharmacies across Alberta but their stock varies.
The Calgary Board of Education says the kits were provided by Alberta Education in January and February. It was the last time schools distributed these items to students.
