The Mayor of Leamington is requesting that testing for COVID-19 be a condition of employment at area farms.
"The employee has a choice, you can chose not to get tested and you don't work or you get tested and you work," says Hilda MacDonald.
In a letter sent to Premier Doug Ford as well as the Ministers of Agriculture, Health and Labour, MacDonald says the number of farms on-board for testing is increasing but they still aren't at the halfway mark.
She says letter was sent on Monday and Premier Ford called her Thursday night.
"He said he was going to check with labour and his in-house lawyers to see if that [making COVID-19 testing a condition of employment] was possible to do so, it's in his brain pen, it's a seed that's planted so we'll go from there," says MacDonald.
Speaking on AM800’s The Morning Drive, she says she's always had a good relationship with farmers but the COVID-19 pandemic has put a bit of a strain on that.
"They are seeing their own interests and again I get that, but right now we have to look at the greater good and I don't think they're appreciating my point of view," says MacDonald. "But quite honestly, I have to look at the greater good, that is my responsibility."
MacDonald says she has been assured by Premier Ford that of any region in the province, the most resources have been pushed to Windsor-Essex.
She says she has another call scheduled for Friday with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.