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TORONTO — It will likely take longer than a year to end overcrowding in Ontario’s hospitals, despite a promise from Premier Doug Ford to tackle the problem in 12 months, the health minister said Monday.

Days after Ford’s declaration, Health Minister Christine Elliott downplayed his remarks, saying he was articulating the government’s “wishes” but the problem is more complex than that.

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“The premier is really expressing that we’re trying to do it as quickly as possible,” she said. “While we hope that it will be within the next year, it may take a little bit longer.”

Ford made his pledge on Friday during a meeting of Canada’s premiers, promising to end the so-called “hallway health-care” problem that has plagued Ontario’s hospitals for years and seen people treated in spaces not appropriate for patient care.

“When we got elected, there was people in hallways across our province waiting to see a doctor for five hours,” Ford said. “As we stand right now we’re down to 1,000 patients in the hallways, but I can assure the people of Ontario, over the next year we won’t have anyone in the hallways there.”