Ontario mulls collection of race-based COVID-19 data; some argue it’s essential
TORONTO — The importance of understanding the role race might play in the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Ontario to look at regulatory changes to make collection of such data provincewide, the government said Tuesday.
The province had granted some health units permission to begin collecting race-based data voluntarily and some have begun doing so, but critics argue it’s not enough.
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott said the province was working with public health and privacy experts to collect such data but noted it would require changing regulations.
“We recognize that the collection of race-based data is important in order to guide our decision-making on how to protect vulnerable groups who may be at a higher risk for COVID-19,” Hayley Chazan said. “The ministry is considering proposing to make income level and race for COVID-19 cases reportable to local public health units.”