Toronto police officers have been asked to transport patients to hospital in urgent situations if an ambulance has been requested but unable to attend.
A police spokesperson told Global News that an internal memo was sent to uniformed personnel advising of the measure due to Monday’s snowfall.
The memo said that due to operational strains Toronto paramedics are experiencing as a result of the storm, officers may transport a patient to hospital if an ambulance was unable to respond and the patient needs urgent care.
The move was authorized by Toronto Police Chief James Ramer.
There is no word on whether anyone has had to be transported to hospital by Toronto police instead of an ambulance.
A major winter storm moved through parts of southern Ontario on Monday, leading to a blizzard warning for some areas, including Toronto.
Roads became treacherous, with some drivers getting stuck on roadways for hours.
A spokesperson for Toronto police told Global News that by around 5 p.m. on Monday, the force had received 250 weather-related calls.