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August 3, 2023

Ontario's Minister of Health Visits LifeLabs to Discuss Improved Access and Healthcare Equity, and Innovation in its Laboratories

Toronto, Ontario. August 3, 2023 – LifeLabs was delighted to welcome Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, the Honourable Sylvia Jones, to our International Reference Laboratory (IRL) in Toronto this afternoon. The visit is Minister Jones’ first to LifeLabs, Canada’s leading medical laboratory. 

During her visit, the Minister had the opportunity to tour the high-volume chemistry and cytology labs, witnessing firsthand the state-of-the-art facilities and advanced diagnostic technologies. Additionally, she sat down with LifeLabs’ President and CEO, Charles Brown, to gain insights into LifeLabs’ intricate province-wide network that has been instrumental in bringing quality care closer to Canadians, especially in Northern Ontario and remote regions. During their discussion, Minister Jones and Charles Brown explored how the laboratory sector can drive innovation in Ontario, recognizing the critical role that laboratories can play in improving patient health outcomes, driving efficiencies, and moving the system to one focused on prevention and wellness.

“LifeLabs is a key partner in ensuring Ontarians across the province can access healthcare services in their community, no matter where they live,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Their innovative leadership in medical diagnostics is essential to improving the delivery of more connected, community-based care that benefits both patients and care providers.”

“We sincerely thank Minister Jones for her visit today. Her admiration for our team’s efforts further motivates us to continue placing our customers at the forefront of everything we do,” said President and CEO Charles Brown. “We are fortunate to partner with the Ontario government to deliver essential medical diagnostic testing closer to home and leveraging innovation to bring forth advancements that improve patient outcomes and overall well-being.” Minister Jones’ visit highlights LifeLabs’ unmatched excellence in medical diagnostics and its profound impact on healthcare accessibility and quality throughout the province. 

LifeLabs extends our heartfelt appreciation to Minister Jones for her visit and kind words of encouragement. We are proud to reaffirm our commitment to upholding the highest standards of healthcare services and being an integral part of Canada’s healthcare journey.

About LifeLabs

LifeLabs is Canada’s leading provider of laboratory diagnostic information and digital health connectivity systems, enabling patients and healthcare practitioners to diagnose, treat, monitor, and prevent disease. We support 20 million patient visits annually and conduct over 100 million laboratory tests through leading edge technologies and our 6,500 talented and dedicated employees. We are a committed innovator in supporting Canadians to live healthier lives, operating Canada’s first commercial genetics lab, and the country’s largest online patient portal, with more than 5 million Canadians receiving their results online. LifeLabs has been named one of Canada’s Best Employers (2021, 2022 and 2023) and Best Employers for Diversity (2022 and 2023) by Forbes and recognized for having an award-winning Mental Health Program from Benefits Canada. LifeLabs is 100% Canadian owned by OMERS Infrastructure, the infrastructure investment manager of one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans. Learn more at lifelabs.com. 

Media Contact: LifeLabs Media Team | Media@LifeLabs.com



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