Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to hold a media availability alongside Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs on Monday after meetings to discuss ongoing health-care system pressures being faced across the country.

This comes as Ontario's own system has been strained by staff shortages in recent weeks, forcing some emergency rooms to even close for hours or days at a time.

Last week, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones’ announced a plan to stabilize the health-care system includes increasing surgeries performed at private clinics, but covered by OHIP, covering the exam and registration fees for internationally trained nurses, and sending patients waiting for a long-term care bed to a home not of their choosing.

Language in the document suggests more of a role for privately delivered but publicly covered services, with the government saying it will invest more to increase surgeries in pediatric hospitals and existing private clinics covered by OHIP. It is also considering options for further increasing surgical capacity by increasing the number of those procedures performed at “independent health facilities.”

The Maritimes has also been facing its own pressures with doctor shortages, delays to surgeries and recurring emergency room closures.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/9076089/ontario-nova-scotia-new-brunswick-pei-premiers-health-care-summit/

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