Ontario’s health minister rushed to help a member of the audience who suddenly fainted during a press conference at a Toronto homeless shelter.
Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, was announcing new funding for shelters on Tuesday when a man in the audience suddenly collapsed and fell face-first onto to the floor.
Hoskins, who is a trained physician, darted from the stage and knelt down to help the man. The minister spent several minutes attending to the person, while two other people, including a nurse, came to his aid.
It appeared that the man lost some teeth in the fall. It’s unclear what caused him to faint.
The man was given water and, after several minutes, was able to stand up and leave the room.
Hoskins was attending the press conference to announce new funding from the provincial government to open 244 permanent housing units for those living with mental illness and addictions, who are at risk of becoming homeless.
The city and province also announced the creation of five new homeless shelters, which will add 300 beds to Toronto’s existing network of shelters.
Last month, as temperatures dipped below -30C and an extreme cold alert persisted for more than 10 days, homeless shelters in Toronto were crowded with people looking for a warm place to sleep.
After public outcry, the Moss Park Armoury, a downtown facility, was eventually opened as a temporary shelter. The city also added more than 280 beds at the Better Living Centre and another community centre to help deal with what Toronto Mayor John Tory called “unprecedented” demand for shelter space.
