Hassan to Ford: Address York South—Weston's vaccine desert

NDP MPP urges government to fix equity gaps in vaccine rollout

YORK SOUTH—WESTON — NDP MPP Faisal Hassan asked Premier Doug Ford why York South—Weston continues to be neglected by the government’s COVID-19 response, urging Ford to address the community’s shortage of pharmacies and vaccine access.

“My riding is a pharmacy desert when it comes to vaccine access,” Hassan said. “We have only eight pharmacies that offer vaccines in what is a very large riding full of essential workers, and we don't have a permanent facility to vaccinate seniors. What’s more, I’m hearing that those eight pharmacies don't have an adequate vaccine supply.”

York South—Weston is home to many low-income and racialized frontline workers and was declared a COVID-19 ‘hotspot’ early in the pandemic.

“The lack of pharmacy locations and lack of a permanent facility to distribute vaccines is not only bad public health policy, but it amounts to discrimination along racial and economic lines. Our high-risk, hardworking community deserves pandemic protection. When will the Ford government create an equitable vaccine response?”