OTTAWA -- A New Brunswick company is ramping up its production to supply enough COVID-19 test chemicals to meet the weekly demand in all provinces, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says expanded mass testing is going to be needed before public health measures are loosened.

On Wednesday Trudeau announced that Biotechnology firm LuminUltra is one of the companies that has signed a contract with the federal government to provide essential medical supplies in the fight against the novel coronavirus. It will be providing 500,000 COVID-19 tests per week, for use across Canada.

“We responded immediately to the Prime Minister’s call to action to join in the fight against this virus by refocusing our team to develop the tests needed for COVID-19,” LuminUltra CEO Pat Whalen said in a statement. The company, which prior to the pandemic focused on creating rapid-results microbiological testing that was used to test water, is one of many Canadian companies retooling in what’s been described as a war-time effort.

Whalen called it a “natural extension” to develop a COVID-19 test in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada.

“We are essentially providing one test for every Canadian as a crucial step towards defeating the pandemic, protecting Canadians and alleviating the human cost of this disease,” Whalen said.

Shipment of these tests has already begun, and they plan to continue mass producing the tests for the year ahead.

The government has also received enough swabs “to make sure every province has the supplies they need to keep testing,” Trudeau said during his daily briefing outside Rideau Cottage on Wednesday.

“Whether it’s reagents or test kits, we are ensuring that Canada has the tools to fight this virus,” he said.

Testing for COVID-19 has been viewed as an essential aspect of getting its spread under control, but so far the rate of testing across the country has varied.

The prime minister said on Wednesday that wide-scale rapid testing is going to be needed before Canada can consider loosening the reins on current public health measures like physical distancing.

Asked whether he thinks testing workers for the virus or antibodies will be needed before allowing them back on the job, Trudeau said that “massive rapid testing on a very wide-scale basis, will be an essential part” of keeping the virus under control until there is a vaccine.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said laboratory capacity is continuously being increased to be ready for larger-scale testing and federal health officials are “actively testing” kits that could detect antibodies, to identify people who have contracted the virus and have built up an immunity.

The prime minister said “aggressive contact tracing” will also be required for quick responses to any future outbreaks. Tam has previously said different technologies to aid in this tracing of peoples’ movements are being looked into.

To date Canada has tested more than 462,000 people, with six per cent of them being confirmed positive.

“Canada continues to improve our testing to better track where the disease is spreading,” Tam said.

Trudeau said it won’t be until Canada is out of the first wave before they know whether they have the capacity to “stamp out and restrict any future outbreaks.”

“That means technology, that means better testing capacities, that means continued vigilance, not just by governments but by all Canadians, to preventing it. We're still a number of weeks away from that. But we are reflecting on what that looks like and what sort of technology and medical solutions will be necessary,” he said.