TORONTO - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ottawa is in talks with Ontario as the province looks to provide paid sick days to workers, but stressed that such leave should be delivered directly through employers.

The prime minister says Ontario should work through provincially regulated businesses to implement a sick-leave program, as his government did with federally regulated workplaces.

His comments echo a statement by a spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who said earlier today that Ottawa will help when Ontario is ready to mandate a sick-leave program for provincially regulated businesses.

Ontario is offering to double a federal sick-leave benefit if Ottawa can administer the topped-up payment to workers in the province.

The provincial finance minister proposed the change in a letter to the federal government, saying the move would give $1,000 a week to eligible workers.

Peter Bethlenfalvy says it would be the fastest way to enhance sick leave for Ontario workers.