Hamilton General Hospital Emergency Wait Times

Also known as The General, City HospitalHamilton, Ontario

The brick towers of Hamilton General Hospital on Barton Street East in Hamilton, Ontario
Open 24 hoursERTreats: Ages 18+
Photo: Nephron, CC BY-SA 3.0

Live Hamilton General Hospital ER wait right now

Average wait to see a doctor (last 6 hours)

1 hour 59 minutes

Shorter wait

Was 2 hr 2 min at

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

Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

We check it every 5 minutes and show its own label for the number. How this page works

What does this number mean?

An average of recorded waits over the provider's reporting period, not a prediction for someone arriving now. It is not the total time at the hospital. Sicker patients are seen first. How Hamilton Emergency Wait Times defines it

The colours are set by us, not by Hamilton Emergency Wait Times. Under 2 hours is the Canadian goal for even the least urgent patients. cihi.ca

How we measure and colour waits

Hospital details

Address
237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2
Phone
905-521-2100Main switchboard. For an emergency, call 911.
Hours
Every dayOpen 24 hours
Who it treats
  • Emergency department treats adults 18+ only
View more details
Operated by
Hamilton Health Sciences
Parking
  • $4.50 per 30 minutes, $24 daily maximum; the first 15 minutes are free.
  • The Victoria Ave. N. garage is temporarily closed, from June 22 to approximately October 2026. Use the Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre lot (entrances off Wellington St. N. or Barton St. E.), with a shuttle Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 8 pm, to the McMaster entrance on Copeland Ave.
  • The Regional Rehabilitation Centre lot (entrance off Birge St.) is pay-and-display.
  • No separate emergency lot. Multi-day passes and questions: parking office, 905-521-2100 ext. 44061.

Parking information

Departments and services

49 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 (EDT). Gaps are hours with no reading.
Show as a table
Average estimated wait by hour, last 24 hours
HourAverage estimatevs hour before
Yesterday, 9 pm – 10 pm2 hr 29 min
Yesterday, 10 pm – 11 pm2 hr 36 min
Yesterday, 11 pm – midnight3 hr 4 min
Today, midnight – 1 am3 hr 16 min
Today, 1 am – 2 am3 hr 24 min
Today, 2 am – 3 am3 hr 47 min
Today, 3 am – 4 am4 hr 50 min
Today, 4 am – 5 am4 hr 9 min
Today, 5 am – 6 am3 hr 58 min
Today, 6 am – 7 am3 hr 36 min
Today, 7 am – 8 am3 hr 28 min
Today, 8 am – 9 am3 hr 59 min
Today, 9 am – 10 am3 hr 30 min
Today, 10 am – 11 am3 hr 12 min
Today, 11 am – noon2 hr 43 min
Today, noon – 1 pm2 hr 13 min
Today, 1 pm – 2 pm1 hr 33 min
Today, 2 pm – 3 pm1 hr 29 min
Today, 3 pm – 4 pm1 hr 28 min
Today, 4 pm – 5 pm1 hr 35 min
Today, 5 pm – 6 pm1 hr 43 min
Today, 6 pm – 7 pm1 hr 51 min
Today, 7 pm – 8 pm1 hr 53 min
Today, 8 pm – 9 pm1 hr 56 min

About Hamilton General Hospital

Hamilton General Hospital is a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. Emergency department: Adults 18+. This service is open 24 hours a day.

Hamilton General Hospital, known as HGH or the General, is a Hamilton Health Sciences hospital at 237 Barton Street East, at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Barton Street. HHS's timeline says it was founded in 1848 as the first hospital in Hamilton, moved to a 70-bed hotel overlooking Burlington Bay in 1853 and to its current site in 1882, and an HHS history feature says the Barton Street site was City Hospital until 1917, when it became Hamilton General Hospital. HHS's 2024–2029 energy plan lists 607 beds. HHS describes it as the only Level 1 Adult Regional Trauma Centre in south-central Ontario, the Regional Stroke Centre and Regional Neurosurgical Centre for Central South Ontario, the regional burn centre and the region's designated cardiac centre.

The emergency department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and receives ambulances and walk-in patients. It is on Level 2, the ground level, and HHS lists it as an adult emergency department: children and youth 17 and under go to McMaster Children's Hospital at 1200 Main Street West. Labour and delivery is at McMaster University Medical Centre, the neonatal intensive care unit is at McMaster Children's, and emergency psychiatry is at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's Charlton Campus. On 22 July 2026 HHS and the Province broke ground on an expanded emergency department; HHS says the department will stay open throughout the project, with completion stated as 2030.

The wait shown here is the one Hamilton's hospitals publish on hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca: the length of time between arriving at the front desk to check in and seeing a doctor, averaged over the last six hours and updated automatically every 15 minutes. Patients are triaged with the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale and the sickest are seen first. For problems that are not emergencies, HHS's West End Urgent Care Centre at 690 Main Street West is open 10 am to 9 pm every day, and St. Joseph's King Campus Urgent Care at 2757 King Street East is open 8 am to 10 pm every day. Neither needs an appointment, and ambulances are not accepted at King Campus. You can also call Health811 at 811 for free medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

Sources: hamiltonhealthsciences.ca, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 2, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 3, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 4, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 5, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 6, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 7, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 8, hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca, Wikipedia

Who Hamilton General Hospital treats

This ER treats patients aged 18 and older.

Under 18? The nearest tracked children's ER is McMaster Children's Hospital, 5.0 km away.

In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Hamilton General Hospital departments and services

The official HHS facility page lists 49 departments, clinics and services here, grouped below by area of care.

Key services at a glance

  • Trauma care
  • Stroke care
  • Burn care
  • Intensive care (ICU)
  • CT scan
  • X-ray
  • Ultrasound
  • Lab

All departments by area of care

Emergency, trauma and critical careBurn Program · Cardiac and Vascular Intensive Care Unit (ICU West) · Coronary Care Unit8
  • Burn Program
  • Cardiac and Vascular Intensive Care Unit (ICU West)
  • Coronary Care Unit
  • Emergency Departments
  • Hyperbaric Medicine Program
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Regional Burn Centre
  • Regional Trauma Program
Heart and blood vesselsAortic Valve Clinic · Cardiac Arrhythmia Clinic · Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit14
  • Aortic Valve Clinic
  • Cardiac Arrhythmia Clinic
  • Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit
  • Cardiac Device Clinic (Pacemakers & ICDs)
  • Cardiac Health & Rehabilitation Clinic
  • Cardiac Surgical Unit (5 South)
  • Cardiology & Vascular Surgery Unit (4 West)
  • Cardiometabolic Clinic
  • Comprehensive Cardiology Clinic
  • Heart Function Clinic
  • Heart Investigation Unit
  • Lipid Clinic
  • Thrombosis Clinic (Hamilton General Hospital)
  • Thrombosis Clinic (McMaster & Hamilton General)
Brain, nerves and strokeAcquired Brain Injury (Inpatient) · Acquired Brain Injury Community Services · Acute Stroke Inpatient Unit (7 South)12
  • Acquired Brain Injury (Inpatient)
  • Acquired Brain Injury Community Services
  • Acute Stroke Inpatient Unit (7 South)
  • Adult Epilepsy Clinic
  • Movement Disorders Clinic
  • Multiple Sclerosis Clinic
  • Neuro Interventional Clinic
  • Neuromodulation Services
  • Neurosurgery Inpatient Unit (7 West)
  • Neurosurgery Outpatient Clinic
  • Regional Stroke Program
  • Stroke Prevention Clinic
SurgeryGeneral Surgery Inpatient Unit (6 South) · General Surgery Outpatient Clinic2
  • General Surgery Inpatient Unit (6 South)
  • General Surgery Outpatient Clinic
Bones, joints and musclesOrthopedic and Fracture Clinic · Spine and Orthopedic Surgery Unit (6 West) · Spine Surgery Clinic3
  • Orthopedic and Fracture Clinic
  • Spine and Orthopedic Surgery Unit (6 West)
  • Spine Surgery Clinic
Digestive system and liverEndoscopy Procedures & GI Investigations1
  • Endoscopy Procedures & GI Investigations
Eyes, ears, nose, throat and dentalAdult ENT (Ear Nose Throat) Clinic1
  • Adult ENT (Ear Nose Throat) Clinic
Medicine and specialty clinicsMedical Ambulatory Care Clinic · Palliative Care Consultation Team · Pharmacy Services3
  • Medical Ambulatory Care Clinic
  • Palliative Care Consultation Team
  • Pharmacy Services
Diagnostic imaging and lab testsDiagnostic Imaging · Diagnostic Services · Medical Diagnostic Units4
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Diagnostic Services
  • Medical Diagnostic Units
  • Nuclear Medicine
Patient and family supportSexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre1
  • Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre

Many clinics and programs need a referral. Check the official page or call the switchboard at 905-521-2100 before you go. In an emergency, call 911.

Hamilton General Hospital ER questions

Understanding the wait

What is the Hamilton General Hospital ER wait right now?

At 9:15 pm EDT, the average wait to see a doctor (last 6 hours) was 1 hour 59 minutes (shorter wait), according to Hamilton Emergency Wait Times. It changes as patients arrive, and the most urgent cases are always seen first.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Is there an ER near Hamilton General Hospital with a shorter wait?

"Nearby ER wait times right now", at the end of this page, lists the nearest tracked sites with their current waits. These are the nearest facilities in our tracked dataset, not necessarily every local care option. A shorter estimate is not a recommendation to travel farther. If it is an emergency, call 911.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

How is the Hamilton General Hospital wait time calculated?

The wait time posted refers to the length of time between when you arrive to the front desk to check in and when you see a doctor. The wait time is calculated by averaging the time that each patient has waited over the last six hours. Your experience can differ as the number and urgency of patients change.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

How often are Hamilton General Hospital's wait times updated?

Hamilton's hospitals say their computer systems update the published wait times automatically every 15 minutes. Our site checks the feed separately; checking more often does not make the hospital's estimate newer.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Are patients at Hamilton General Hospital seen in arrival order?

No. Staff assess urgency using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). Critical patients receive priority whether they arrive by ambulance or on their own. The posted wait is an estimate rather than a reserved place in line.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Planning your visit

Is the Hamilton General Hospital ER open 24 hours?

Yes. The emergency department at Hamilton General Hospital is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Who can go to the Hamilton General Hospital ER?

The emergency department at Hamilton General Hospital sees patients aged 18 and older. For younger children, the nearest tracked children's ER is McMaster Children's Hospital.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Where is Hamilton General Hospital, and is there parking?

Hamilton General Hospital is at 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2. $4.50 per 30 minutes, $24 daily maximum; the first 15 minutes are free. The Victoria Ave. N. garage is temporarily closed, from June 22 to approximately October 2026. Use the Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre lot (entrances off Wellington St. N. or Barton St. E.), with a shuttle Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 8 pm, to the McMaster entrance on Copeland Ave. The Regional Rehabilitation Centre lot (entrance off Birge St.) is pay-and-display. No separate emergency lot. Multi-day passes and questions: parking office, 905-521-2100 ext. 44061.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Should I go to urgent care instead of Hamilton General Hospital?

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 Health811 at 811 for advice from a nurse.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Is the Hamilton General Hospital ER staying open during construction?

Yes. Hamilton Health Sciences broke ground on an expanded emergency department on 22 July 2026 and says the department will stay open throughout the project, with completion stated as 2030. The ER is on Level 2, the ground level, at 237 Barton Street East. In an emergency, call 911.

Source: hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca; en.wikipedia.org

Is Hamilton General Hospital a trauma centre?

Yes. Hamilton Health Sciences describes it as the only Level 1 Adult Regional Trauma Centre in south-central Ontario, and as the Regional Stroke Centre and regional burn centre. Children and youth 17 and under go to McMaster Children's Hospital. For trauma, stroke or a burn, call 911.

Source: hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca; en.wikipedia.org

Can children receive emergency care at Hamilton General Hospital?

Hamilton's wait-time website says its departments can care for children. For choosing a service, Hamilton Health Sciences directs children aged 17 and under to McMaster Children's Hospital and lists Hamilton General, Juravinski and West Lincoln Memorial as adult emergency departments. Urgent care centres treat all ages. These routing recommendations do not mean a child in an emergency should delay care. Call 911 for a medical emergency.

Source: Hamilton Health Sciences: emergency departments

Can I ask for an interpreter at Hamilton General Hospital?

You can request translation services at Hamilton emergency departments and urgent care centres. Tell the care team which language you need.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Where can I get crisis support near Hamilton General Hospital?

For an emergency, call 911. Call or text 988 for suicide crisis support. Hamilton's COAST service is available 24 hours a day on 905-972-8338. St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton provides Emergency Psychiatry Services at 50 Charlton Avenue East.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

How can I share feedback about care at Hamilton General Hospital?

Contact Patient Experience at Hamilton Health Sciences through the official hospital website. You can also raise concerns with the healthcare team during your visit.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Map and directions

Hamilton General Hospital

237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2

DirectionsOpen in Google Maps

Nearby ER wait times right now

Straight-line distance. A shorter wait is worth a longer drive only if the trip is safe.

Right now the estimate at Hamilton General Hospital is 1 hr 59 min, about the same as the 1 hr 59 min median across 3 Hamilton ERs.

Nearest tracked ERs

All Hamilton ER wait timesER wait times near me

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.

Nearest tracked urgent care: West End Urgent Care (3.4 km)

Not sure where to go?

Call Health811 at 811 to talk to a nurse. About Health811

Call 811

Call 911

Chest pain or pressure, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding, trouble breathing, a serious injury, or someone who will not wake up.

Call 911
CallDirections