Features
Think Modular calls on government for thermal temperature screening funding
August 18, 2020 By Alanna Fairey
From Left to Right: Imran Hasan (Managing Partner, Think Modular), Nina Tangri (MPP, Mississauga-Streetsville), Hon. Rod Phillips (Ontario Finance Minister), Steve Duguay (Manager Partner, Think Modular), Norm Hasan (Manager Partner, Think Modular)
While thermal technology solutions may be considered the new normal as a means to detect potential cases of COVID-19, Mississauga, Ont.-based Think Modular was pursuing this technology before the pandemic.
“It was ideal timing,” Imran Hasan managing partner of Think Modular, said in a recent interview with SP&T. “This opportunity came up and we saw there was a void, there was an opportunity and truthfully, we knew that thermal body temperature screening would be something that would be part of the COVID-19 protocols, that would be used to help reopen businesses and restart the economy.”
After meeting with stakeholders and hosting interactive demonstrations for first responders, Hasan shared that Think Modular has deployed the technology in several sectors, including manufacturing, restaurants, hotels, law enforcement agencies and health-care clinics.
According to Hasan, the company had strategically sought to install it at different sectors as a way to show how the population can benefit from the use of thermal temperature screening solutions.
“Our aim and our goal is to see this in every school, every retirement home, every hospital, and everywhere where the public will have interactions with one another,” Hasan said.
“I think [thermal temperature solutions] are something that we all need to get comfortable with and adopt as the new reality.”
With this technology becoming the new reality, Hasan said that Think Modular is calling on the Government of Canada to implement a technology subsidy or tax credit in the upcoming budget for organizations implementing this type of screening technology.
“There’s a lot of benefit in this technology,” Hasan reiterated. “What we’re trying to do is to help accelerate that conversation and get the information in the hands of the responsible people.”
Recently, Ontario Minister of Finance Rod Phillips toured the facilities for an interactive demonstration of the technology and to learn how technology can play a role in helping communities and increasing public confidence.
While a decision has yet to be made regarding the budget, Hasan remains optimistic that the importance of thermal body temperature solutions will be recognized.
“If [a technology subsidy] is not in the budget, then maybe we can still get a message from the Ontario government, stating that that [thermal body temperature screening technology] would still be a responsible measure to be used to help reopen businesses and restart the economy,” Hasan concluded.
Print this page
