INSIDE THE VILLAGE: The emergency inside Ontario's emergency rooms

Episode 24 of the podcast: The president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians talks hospital wait times, staff burnout — and why everyone should just wear a mask

Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On the latest episode, we take a closer look at the emergency unfolding inside Ontario's emergency rooms. Wait times are up, staffing levels are down, and the demand on health care services is unprecedented — with a nasty winter looming.

Is there a solution to the crisis? We ask Dr. Michael Howlett, president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians.

Spoiler alert: A mask mandate would probably help ease at least some of the pressure.

Launched in April, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across Village Media's chain of Ontario newsrooms. The program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode is available on this news site /insidethevillage. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.