The Ontario Project

I'm looking for readers in upstate New York: Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Utica, Erie, Oswego and surrounding areas.

The requirements:

• A camera or camera-phone
• The ability to visit the parking lot of a hospital or urgent-care facility
• Mathematical skills: you must be able to count to ten

I'm looking for the approximate number of Ontario license plates in American health care facilities near the Canadian border.

Given the vaunted, "free" Canadian health care system, my questions are: how many Canadians are visiting American medical facilities? Of every ten license plates you see, how many are from Ontario?

My contention is that quite a few Canadians are trying to escape the queues (waits) for routine tests like MRIs, CAT scans and the like. Or they seek specialized treatment that is unavailable in Canada.

Here's how you can help: Visit the parking lot of an upstate New York medical facility. Estimate the percentage of Ontario license plates. Take a snapshot or two of Ontario plates in the parking lot (I'll obscure the actual plate number). Then email me with sample counts and pictures. You can also post a link or request on message boards you frequent, or just email this request to your friends.

For those who respond, I'll provide credit and thanks by name in a summary post (unless directed to remove the name).

The deadline: one week from today.

Any help you can offer is appreciated.