Estimated wait to see a physician
2 hours 24 minutes
Long wait
Was 2 hr 22 min at
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre Emergency Wait Time
Also known as Fort McMurray Regional Hospital, NLRHCFort McMurray, Alberta
Open 24 hoursERTreats: All ages
Live Fort McMurray ER wait time right now
Life-threatening emergency? Call 911, don't wait.
Wait time key
- Shorter wait: Under 2 hr
- Long wait: 2 to 4 hr
- Very long wait: 4 hr or more
Source
We check it every 5 minutes and show its own label for the number. How this page works
What does this number mean?
An estimate for someone arriving now, not a guaranteed wait. It is not the total time at the hospital. Sicker patients are seen first. How Alberta Health Services defines it
The colours are set by us, not by Alberta Health Services. Under 2 hours is the Canadian goal for even the least urgent patients. cihi.ca
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Hospital details
- Address
- 7 Hospital Street, Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1P2
- Phone
- 780-791-6161Main switchboard. For an emergency, call 911.
- Hours
Every day Open 24 hours - Who it treats
- Emergency department treats all ages
- Health authority
- Alberta Health Services
- Parking
- Departments and services
53 departments, clinics and services
View all departments- Official information
Wait times in the last 24 hours
Average published estimate for each hour, in local time (MDT). Gaps are hours with no reading.
Show as a table
| Hour | Average estimate | vs hour before |
|---|---|---|
| Yesterday, 7 pm – 8 pm | 1 hr 52 min | |
| Yesterday, 8 pm – 9 pm | 3 hr 31 min | |
| Yesterday, 9 pm – 10 pm | 3 hr 12 min | |
| Yesterday, 10 pm – 11 pm | 3 hr 50 min | |
| Yesterday, 11 pm – midnight | 4 hr 54 min | |
| Today, midnight – 1 am | 4 hr 29 min | |
| Today, 1 am – 2 am | 4 hr 16 min | |
| Today, 2 am – 3 am | 3 hr 28 min | |
| Today, 3 am – 4 am | 2 hr 46 min | |
| Today, 4 am – 5 am | 2 hr 14 min | |
| Today, 5 am – 6 am | 2 hr 26 min | |
| Today, 6 am – 7 am | 2 hr 10 min | |
| Today, 7 am – 8 am | 2 hr 5 min | |
| Today, 8 am – 9 am | 2 hr 13 min | |
| Today, 9 am – 10 am | 2 hr 25 min | |
| Today, 10 am – 11 am | 2 hr 38 min | |
| Today, 11 am – noon | 2 hr 44 min | |
| Today, noon – 1 pm | 2 hr 27 min | |
| Today, 1 pm – 2 pm | 2 hr 19 min | |
| Today, 2 pm – 3 pm | 2 hr 21 min | |
| Today, 3 pm – 4 pm | 2 hr 2 min | |
| Today, 4 pm – 5 pm | 2 hr 24 min | |
| Today, 5 pm – 6 pm | 2 hr 8 min | |
| Today, 6 pm – 7 pm | 1 hr 57 min |
About Northern Lights Regional Health Centre
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre is a hospital in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Emergency department: All ages. This service is open 24 hours a day.
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre is the Alberta Health Services hospital in downtown Fort McMurray. Formerly Fort McMurray Regional Hospital, it serves the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, including Fort McMurray and rural communities such as Anzac, Conklin, Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay and Janvier. Its five-storey main building dates from 1981.
The emergency department is open 24 hours a day for patients of all ages. The hospital is a primary stroke centre and takes part in Trauma Care Alberta, with intensive care, surgery, maternity care with an obstetrical assessment clinic, and an acute inpatient psychiatry unit.
The Fort McMurray Community Cancer Centre is inside the building. During the May 2016 wildfire, staff evacuated every patient and continuing care resident in under two hours, and the hospital itself was not damaged.
Sources: AHS facility page, albertahealthservices.ca, open.alberta.ca (PDF), albertahealthservices.ca 2
Who Northern Lights Regional Health Centre treats
This ER treats patients of all ages.
In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre departments and services
The official AHS facility page lists 53 departments, clinics and services here, grouped below by area of care.
Key services at a glance
- Trauma care
- Stroke care
- Intensive care (ICU)
- Labour and delivery
- CT scan
- MRI
- X-ray
- Ultrasound
- Lab
- Cafeteria
All departments by area of care
Emergency, trauma and critical careEmergency Services · Intensive Care Unit · Trauma Care Alberta3
- Emergency Services
- Intensive Care Unit
- Trauma Care Alberta
Heart and blood vesselsCardiac Diagnostics - Stress Testing · Echocardiography · Pediatric Cardiology Outreach Clinic3
- Cardiac Diagnostics - Stress Testing
- Echocardiography
- Pediatric Cardiology Outreach Clinic
Brain, nerves and strokePrimary Stroke Centre · Stroke Services - Chronic Disease Management2
- Primary Stroke Centre
- Stroke Services - Chronic Disease Management
SurgeryDay Surgery Services & Recovery · Minor Surgery Clinic · Operating Room and Recovery Room4
- Day Surgery Services & Recovery
- Minor Surgery Clinic
- Operating Room and Recovery Room
- Surgery
Bones, joints and musclesAlberta Hip and Knee Program · Orthopaedic Program2
- Alberta Hip and Knee Program
- Orthopaedic Program
Lungs, breathing and sleepBronchoscopy · Respiratory Therapy Clinic2
- Bronchoscopy
- Respiratory Therapy Clinic
Digestive system and liverOutpatient Endoscopy1
- Outpatient Endoscopy
Kidneys and urologyHemodialysis - Alberta Kidney Care - North1
- Hemodialysis - Alberta Kidney Care - North
Pregnancy, birth and women's healthColposcopy Clinic · Maternity · Obstetrical Assessment Clinic3
- Colposcopy Clinic
- Maternity
- Obstetrical Assessment Clinic
Children and youthChildren's Allied Health Services · Early Childhood Intervention Program · Pediatrics3
- Children's Allied Health Services
- Early Childhood Intervention Program
- Pediatrics
Mental health and addictionAcute Inpatient Psychiatry · Crisis Response Team · Electro-convulsive Therapy Program3
- Acute Inpatient Psychiatry
- Crisis Response Team
- Electro-convulsive Therapy Program
Eyes, ears, nose, throat and dentalAudiology Services · Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Community Screening · Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Diagnostic Assessment5
- Audiology Services
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Community Screening
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Diagnostic Assessment
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Postpartum Screening
- ENT Clinic
Medicine and specialty clinicsAmbulatory Services · Drop In Wound Clinic · IV Infusion Clinic7
- Ambulatory Services
- Drop In Wound Clinic
- IV Infusion Clinic
- Medicine
- Nutrition Counselling - Adult and Pediatric
- Nutrition Counselling - Pediatric Weight Management
- Pharmacy Services
Diagnostic imaging and lab testsComputed Tomography · Fluoroscopy · General Radiography (X-Ray)7
- Computed Tomography
- Fluoroscopy
- General Radiography (X-Ray)
- Laboratory Services
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Mammography
- Ultrasound
Rehabilitation and therapyAlberta Aids to Daily Living Program · Occupational Therapy Services · Physical Therapy Services4
- Alberta Aids to Daily Living Program
- Occupational Therapy Services
- Physical Therapy Services
- Speech and Language Services
Patient and family supportIndigenous Hospital Support Services1
- Indigenous Hospital Support Services
Food, shops and visitor servicesCafeteria Services · Gift Shops2
- Cafeteria Services
- Gift Shops
Many clinics and programs need a referral. Check the official page or call the switchboard at 780-791-6161 before you go. In an emergency, call 911.
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre ER questions
Understanding the wait
What is the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre ER wait right now?
At 7:20 pm MDT, the estimated wait to see a physician was 2 hours 24 minutes (long wait), according to Alberta Health Services. It changes as patients arrive, and the most urgent cases are always seen first.
Source: Alberta Health Services
How is the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre ER wait time calculated?
Alberta Health Services publishes it as "Estimated wait to see a physician": An estimate of how long it might take from an assessment by a triage nurse in the emergency department or urgent care to being seen by a physician. It does not represent the total time patients may spend at the hospital, and it does not apply to critically ill or injured patients, who are always seen quickly. We check it every 5 minutes. People with the most urgent needs are always seen first, so your own wait may be shorter or longer.
Source: Alberta Health Services
Planning your visit
Is the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre ER open 24 hours?
Yes. The emergency department at Northern Lights Regional Health Centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Source: Alberta Health Services
Who can go to the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre ER?
The emergency department at Northern Lights Regional Health Centre sees patients of all ages.
Source: Alberta Health Services
Where is Northern Lights Regional Health Centre?
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre is at 7 Hospital Street, Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1P2.
Source: Alberta Health Services
Should I go to urgent care instead of Northern Lights Regional Health Centre?
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. For minor problems, a family doctor, walk-in clinic or pharmacist may be quicker. If you are not sure where to go, call Health Link at 811 for advice from a nurse.
Source: Alberta Health Services
Map and directions
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre
7 Hospital Street, Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1P2
Nearby ER wait times right now
Straight-line distance. A shorter wait is worth a longer drive only if the trip is safe.
No other emergency department or urgent care centre with a published wait is within 250 km.
ER, urgent care or walk-in clinic?
Emergency department
Serious problems that need a hospital, any time: broken bones, deep cuts, severe pain, or a fever in a baby under 3 months.
Urgent care
Problems that are not life-threatening but need care today: sprains, minor cuts and burns, infections. Hours are often limited.
Walk-in clinics
Minor problems such as colds, sore throats, rashes or prescription refills are often quicker here.
Not sure where to go?
Call Health Link at 811 to talk to a nurse. About Health Link
Call 911
Chest pain or pressure, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding, trouble breathing, a serious injury, or someone who will not wake up.