TORONTO -- The Ontario government has reached out the U.S. for additional health-care workers as the third COVID-19 wave pushes some of the province's hospitals to the brink.
Health Minister Christine Elliott told reporters at Queen's Park on Tuesday that Ontario has requested help from the U.S. and Philippines, but is looking into options from other countries as well.
"We are continuing our search internationally … to see if there are any teams that are able to come from other countries to come and help us," Elliott said.
Ontario hasn't received an answer on whether support will be sent to Canada, Elliott said.
"As you know, there are many countries in the world that are facing the same situation that we are," Elliott said.
Elliott did not provide specifics on what Ontario has requested.
The comments come on the same day that Newfoundland sent a team of nine health-care workers to Ontario after a Canada-wide call for help from the Ford government.
The team will be deployed to Toronto's University Health Network starting on Wednesday.
Among the health-care workers is the wife of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey.
On Monday, the federal government announced it approved a request from Ontario to send in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to help alleviate the strain on the health-care system.
The CAF is sending up to looking to deploy three teams of two nurses and 10 medical technicians.
In addition, the federal government said it would also "fund the redeployment of the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) to augment or relieve staff within medical care facilities."
