British Columbia ER Wait Times

At 5:25 pm PDT, the shortest published ER wait was Whistler Health Care Centre at 30 minutes. The median across 11 reporting ERs was 3 hours 30 minutes. Numbers change through the day, so check the list above before you go.

edwaittimes.ca publishes "9 in 10 patients seen within": 'Wait Time' is the time it takes for almost all patients – 9 out of every 10 who visit the ED – to be seen by a physician. This is also known as the 90th percentile and is the time in which 90% of all people seeking care will be seen. Some people, about 10%, may have to wait longer than this time. Wait time refers to the length of time between being assessed by a triage nurse and seeing a doctor or nurse practitioner.

These measures can differ in their starting point and statistic. Compare estimates within the same measurement group. Patients with the most urgent needs are seen first.

Source: edwaittimes.ca

Providers publish estimates on different schedules. Our checks are separate from those updates, and the displayed number may stay the same after a check. Each listing shows its available timestamp; check the source-specific frequencies below.

Yes: BC Children's Hospital and Surrey Memorial Hospital. Children's emergency departments see children and teens; adults should go to an adult or all-ages ER. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

No. Abbotsford UPCC, Chilliwack UPCC, Edmonds UPCC, Langley UPCC, Metrotown UPCC, Mission UPCC, Port Moody UPCC, REACH Urgent and Primary Care Centre, Ridge Meadows UPCC, Surrey Newton UPCC and Surrey Whalley UPCC are listed without a published wait; their pages show the nearest tracked sites that do publish one.

Call 911 for anything life-threatening. An emergency department is for serious problems that need a hospital. Urgent care treats problems that are not life-threatening but need care the same day, and its waits are listed separately. If you are not sure where to go, call HealthLink BC at 811 for advice from a nurse.

edwaittimes.ca publishes it as "Wait Time". In its words: "the time it takes for almost all patients – 9 out of every 10 who visit the ED – to be seen by a physician. This is also known as the 90th percentile and is the time in which 90% of all people seeking care will be seen." About 10% of people may wait longer. Wait time "refers to the length of time between being assessed by a triage nurse and seeing a doctor or nurse practitioner."

Source: edwaittimes.ca: about the estimates

edwaittimes.ca shows it beside each wait. In its words, it "represents the length of time in the emergency department from the time you arrive to the time you are discharged home (excludes patients admitted to the hospital) for most patients – 75 out of every 100 who visit the ED." How long you stay depends on how soon a doctor sees you and which tests and treatments you need.

Source: edwaittimes.ca: about the estimates

edwaittimes.ca says most emergency departments get busy from around 10 am and stay busy until about 10 pm, and are about 10% busier on Mondays, possibly because people can't reach their own doctor over the weekend. More doctors usually work at the busiest times, but waits still tend to be longer then. Any day or hour can be busy.

Source: edwaittimes.ca: about the estimates

Demand in an emergency department can change suddenly. A single serious incident, such as a bad car crash, can bring in several patients at once and lengthen everyone else's wait. Patients are seen by how sick they are, not in order of arrival.

Source: edwaittimes.ca: about the estimates

In a serious emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER. A shorter posted estimate does not establish that travelling farther is the right choice. Also think about whether you know the hospital, whether you recently had surgery or a stay there, and whether family is nearby if you are admitted. Posted waits are general information, not medical advice.

Source: edwaittimes.ca: about the estimates

Urgent and primary care centres (UPCCs) and walk-in clinics treat problems that need care the same day but are not life-threatening. edwaittimes.ca says most clinics open between 8 and 9 am and close between 5 and 9 pm, and many have weekend hours, so check a clinic's hours before you go. For advice from a nurse, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, any time.

Source: edwaittimes.ca: about the estimates