Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the federal government will pitch in after Alberta asked for help with airlifting COVID-19 patients, ICU-registered nurses and respiratory therapists. Blair said federal assistance could come in the form of Canadian Armed Forces' medical resources "and/or aero-medical evacuation capability," Canadian Red Cross resources and other federal health resources. The CAF says the aeromedical transport should be deployable within 24 hours, and the ICU nurses within 72 hours. The vast majority of them are being treated for COVID-19 — the province's highest number of ICU patients since the pandemic began. Surgeries have been cancelled across the province to free up health care workers to deal with the crisis.

Source: CBC News September 23, 2021 18:30 UTC