Mayor Paul Lefebvre is urging the province to intervene to reverse LifeLabs’ decision to close Sudbury's laboratory this spring.
Lefebvre made his plea public in a media release issued through his office Jan. 13.
“Shutting down this lab means samples from across Northern Ontario will be transported hundreds of kilometres for analysis,” Lefebvre said in his media release.
“That creates predictable delays and unnecessary risks for patients. Northern Ontarians deserve the same level of care and reliability as anyone else in this province, and this decision puts that at risk.”
The plan would see LifeLabs centres remain open to collect samples. The regional Sudbury laboratory, which analyzes samples from throughout the region, would close. Beginning sometime this spring, samples will be analyzed in Toronto and Mississauga laboratories.
Although LifeLabs media spokespeople declined to answer many of Sudbury.com’s questions last week, Sudbury NDP MPP Jamie West shared in Queen’s Park last month that 40 medical laboratory technologists in Sudbury would lose their jobs in the closure.
LifeLabs staff also declined to share how the Sudbury closure will affect local test turnaround times, with their written response noting turnaround times would “continue to meet LifeLabs’ high standards and Ministry of Health requirements” and that “new logistics routes” would be introduced “to ensure timely and reliable specimen transportation.”
Quest Diagnostics, a U.S.-based company, purchased LifeLabs in August 2024.
The Greater Sudbury laboratory processes diagnostic samples from communities including Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, and rural areas along Highway 11, according to the media release issued through the mayor’s office.
“The closure will have serious consequences for patients who rely on fast and reliable test results, including people living with chronic illness, newborns, residents in long-term care, and those on critical medications,” according to the media release.
“At a time when the province is counting on Northern Ontario to support economic growth and critical industries, it makes no sense to weaken access to essential and reliable health services that workers and families depend on,” Lefebvre said.
In addition to job losses and the potential for longer turnaround times, Lefebvre’s office notes the closure will disrupt student placements, “further straining an already pressured health workforce."
Lefebvre has written to the Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones, “urging the province to work with LifeLabs to preserve local laboratory capacity where possible, ensure test turnaround times meet clinical needs, and protect both current jobs and future workforce development.”