Project GoVax To Help Residents Get To Vaccine Appointments
March 30, 2021Cornwall Ontario – The Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce has received $10,000 in funding support from Ontario Power Generation to launch Project GoVax to provide rides to COVID-19 Vaccine appointments and is available now.
With the recent COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Cornwall, eligible residents have already started to book appointments and receive a COVID-19 vaccine shot. Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with long-time Chamber Member, Choice Taxi to execute Project GoVax and transport people to-and-from their COVID-19 vaccination appointment. Whether it be accessibility, financial, or other barriers that prevent locals from making the trip, this program will help eliminate some of the challenges by providing a ride free of charge.
“When we were approached by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Ontario Power Generation to find a way to help more people get the vaccine, we were thrilled to be a part of the project,” comments Greg Pietersma, Executive Director of the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce. “We would like to thank the OCC and OPG for making this project possible, which will help us on the path to get the economy open again.”
“One of our important priorities during the COVID vaccination effort is to ensure equitable access to the vaccine for all our residents, especially given the size of our mostly rural region,” comments Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU). “This support will help to improve access to COVID immunization by removing the barriers of distance and/or lack of transportation in these areas.”
Ontario Power Generation has generously provided $10,000 towards Project GoVax’s implementation and rollout.
“The Cornwall community has been our home for more than 60 years and we want to ensure that as few barriers exist as possible for residents to obtain the vaccine,” said Scott Gagnon, OPG’s Work Centre Manager for the R.H. Saunders generating station. “We are pleased to support this door-to-door initiative for Cornwall and area residents.”
“Ontario’s business community is working proactively in the fight against COVID- 19. On behalf of the Ontario Vaccination Support Council and our Co-chairs from Bruce Power and Facebook Canada, we would like to thank our Council Member, Ontario Power Generation, for their generosity, and the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce for their leadership on this important project,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “The Council now leverages membership of over 250 businesses, universities, colleges, associations, and labour unions from across the province looking to provide support to all 34 public health units to accelerate vaccination efforts. The faster the Ontario population is inoculated, the faster we can safely reopen and work together on the province’s economic recovery.”
How to Book a Ride
Project GoVax is available to anyone in the Cornwall, Ingleside, Martintown, and Lancaster areas who have an appointment booked at a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Cornwall only. To book your ride, call Choice Taxi at (613) 938-8899 and request a ride through Project GoVax.
Please have your COVID-19 vaccination appointment booked before calling Choice Taxi as they cannot book appointments. To book your COVID-19 vaccination appointment, please visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ and select one of the locations in Cornwall.
For more information on Project GoVax, please visit www.cornwallchamber.com/govax.