TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Ford is reaching out to the local manufacturing industry to help with the shortage of key medical supplies needed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerns have been raised recently that frontline health care workers in Ontario are ill-equipped to deal with the pandemic due to a shortage of various supplies.

“Our health-care workers are running out of key items,” Ford told reports Saturday afternoon. “We need ventilators, face masks, surgical gowns, protective eyewear, hand sanitizer, medical gloves, swabs, disinfecting wipes and lab-testing equipment.”

The premier asked businesses to consider redeploying their operations to produce the items needed if possible.

My message to all business owners in Ontario right now is this :



If you can retool your business to make these products. If you’re in a position to make the necessary changes to your production line. We need to hear from YOU! https://t.co/Duk1rNXtKP #OntarioSpirit pic.twitter.com/Hzj5yT1vnZ — Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 21, 2020

"We're ready to mobilize our manufacturing might to help the entire country and we want Ontario to become the workshop of Canada," Ford said.

"By providing these essential items, you will save lives, you will support Ontario health workers and you will help us beat COVID-19."

A new website launched by the province called Ontario Together will identify its supply shortages, and solicit ideas and advice from Ontario business and manufacturing communities.

Companies will be able to submit proposals for the government to procure required goods and services through the portal.

Minister of Health Christine Elliott also spoke to reporters Saturday to stress the need for additional medical supplies.

"If we are going to stop the spread of this virus, we will need a steady stream of medical products and supplies to treat patients and keep frontline workers safe and healthy,” she said.