Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is a strong believer in public healthcare.

Ford said on Friday that "everything is on the table" when asked if Ontario is considering further privatization of the healthcare system.

He stated in an appearance in Dundalk, Ontario: "I won’t do anything without consulting the experts there." "One thing we will ensure: you will always be covered by OHIP, not by a credit card."

When asked if patients would have to pay anything if they underwent surgery in a private clinic, Ford said it would be covered "100 percent."

He said: "We will never back down on that." Earlier this week, Health Minister Sylvia Jones said the government is exploring all options to improve the healthcare system, raising concerns about further privatization.

Emergency departments across the province were closed for hours or days this summer due to a severe shortage of nurses.

It has affected smaller rural hospitals more than larger urban hospitals.

Ford said his government is talking to healthcare experts across the sector in an attempt to find out how to solve the staffing problem. But he and Jones did not specify the options they are considering.

He said: "If there is a way to provide better publicly funded healthcare, we will do it."

The Premier pointed to the private hernia surgery clinic that arose when the healthcare system became public as a good example of how the private sector can help.