B.C.’s the latest province to say no to Ontario’s request for healthcare workers

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — B.C. won’t be answering Ontario’s call for healthcare workers during a worsening battle with COVID-19.

Ontario set a new single-day high in COVID-19 cases on Friday for the second day in a row, with 4,812 new infections.

And as of Saturday morning, there are 2,065 people in hospital because of the virus — a record high as well.

As the province struggles, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford is asking other provinces to send nurses and other health workers to the province.

But B.C.’s Health Minister Adrian Dix says he will not be able to support Ontario, saying “our resources are dedicated here in B.C.” before pointing out the province is also seeing record hospitalizations.

“You talk to any doctors, nurses and any health science and professionals and healthcare workers in B.C. — we really don’t have anything to spare.”

Related Article: B.C. records more than 1,000 cases, as ICU beds continue to fill up

During Friday’s daily COVID-19 update, B.C. reported 425 people infected with COVID-19 are in hospital and more than a quarter of them are in the ICU.
Saskatchewan and Alberta have also told Ontario they won’t be able to lend a hand, while Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador say they will consider lending support.

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