This may indeed be a mediaism, but it’s got a basis in “real” life, I think. I’ve never heard it used by the man on the street, but the doctors I work for write and say it quite frequently. However, they are South African & English, so I’ve always assumed that it was more of a British or S.A. thing to say. Which, of course, may be why you’re hearing it if you’re hearing eastern Ontarian radio, that region being more Old World than we in the boonies of the West.
Always thought it was quite a neat phrase, myself.
I’ve never heard Canadians say the hospital thing either, bit I have heard the grade thing. I’ve also heard Americans say that too, though so I don’t think it means a differnence between Canada and the US.
