Front Burner

How Ontario was led into a COVID-19 crisis

Military-style field hospitals in the middle of Toronto. A children’s ICU filling up with dying adults. Medical advisers at the end of their rope. Today, host Jayme Poisson looks at the choices Premier Doug Ford made in recent months and how they led Ontario down the path to what many doctors are calling a catastrophe.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford puts his mask on after speaking at a press conference at Queen's Park, in Toronto, Friday, April 16, 2021. Ontario is extending its stay-at-home order to six weeks, restricting interprovincial travel and limiting outdoor gatherings in an effort to fight a losing battle with COVID-19. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)

Doctors say Ontario is barrelling towards a medical catastrophe — one that they had predicted months ago. New modelling now shows that in the worst case scenario, the province could see up to 30,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 by June.

Now, military-style field hospitals have popped up in the middle of Toronto, a children's ICU is filling up with dying adults and a top medical adviser has told CBC News that he recently thought about quitting.

Today, host Jayme Poisson takes a closer look at the choices that Premier Doug Ford made in recent months and how they factor into Ontario's current situation.