St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus Emergency Wait Time

Also known as St. Joe's, St. Joe's HamiltonHamilton, Ontario

St. Joseph's Hospital on James Street South in Hamilton, Ontario, in 2007
Open 24 hoursERTreats: Ages 18+
Photo: Nhl4hamilton (Rick Cordeiro), Public domain

Live St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ER wait right now

Average wait to see a doctor (last 6 hours)

1 hour 9 minutes

Shorter wait

Was 1 hr 10 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
50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6
Phone
905-522-1155Main 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
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Parking
  • Charlton Lot (off Charlton Ave., in front of the Juravinski Innovation Tower): $4.50 per half hour, $29 daily maximum. No passes or in-and-out.
  • Ramp 3 (301 James St. S.): $4.50 per half hour, $24 daily maximum; 5-, 10- and 30-day H Passes are available.
  • Rates as of May 1, 2026. Pay stations on Level 0 of the Juravinski Innovation Tower take cash or credit card.
  • The Emergency entrance is the only entrance open 24/7; there is no separate emergency lot.

Parking information

Departments and services

57 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, 10 pm – 11 pm59 min
Yesterday, 11 pm – midnight1 hr 4 min
Today, midnight – 1 am1 hr 19 min
Today, 1 am – 2 am1 hr 31 min
Today, 2 am – 3 am1 hr 44 min
Today, 3 am – 4 am2 hr 4 min
Today, 4 am – 5 am2 hr 21 min
Today, 5 am – 6 am2 hr 10 min
Today, 6 am – 7 am2 hr 4 min
Today, 7 am – 8 am1 hr 49 min
Today, 8 am – 9 am1 hr 34 min
Today, 9 am – 10 am1 hr 36 min
Today, 10 am – 11 am1 hr 17 min
Today, 11 am – noon1 hr 8 min
Today, noon – 1 pm1 hr 8 minNo change
Today, 1 pm – 2 pm1 hr 9 min
Today, 2 pm – 3 pm1 hr 12 min
Today, 3 pm – 4 pm1 hr 20 min
Today, 4 pm – 5 pm1 hr 26 min
Today, 5 pm – 6 pm1 hr 28 min
Today, 6 pm – 7 pm1 hr 22 min
Today, 7 pm – 8 pm1 hr 19 min
Today, 8 pm – 9 pm1 hr 15 min
Today, 9 pm – 10 pm1 hr 10 min

About St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus is a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. Emergency department: Adults 18+. This service is open 24 hours a day.

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, known as St. Joe's or SJHH, is an academic hospital with campuses at 50 Charlton Avenue East (this emergency department), 100 West 5th Street and 2757 King Street East. The Sisters of St. Joseph came to Hamilton in 1852, and the hospital's history page dates its first 25-bed hospital, on John Street, to 1890; the St. Joseph's School of Nursing Alumni Association's timeline dates the name St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton to 2000. Its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 describe an 804-bed multi-site acute care hospital, specializing in mental health, dialysis, oncology and cataract surgeries, and the regional centre for kidney transplants.

The Charlton emergency department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and its entrance is the only Charlton entrance open around the clock. Hamilton Emergency Wait Times lists it with the adult emergency departments (age 18 and over), and St. Joseph's health care options page directs children and youth 17 and under to the kids-only emergency department at McMaster Children's Hospital. The Psychiatric Emergency Service, a city-wide program since 1992, is next to the emergency department, and the 25-bed Acute Psychiatry unit for adults at the West 5th Campus takes referrals from it. Charlton also has a 29-bed Level 3 intensive care unit, a birthing unit and a Level 2b neonatal unit, and is the designated regional thoracic centre. Since January 2018 all stroke care has been at Hamilton General Hospital.

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. For problems that are not emergencies, St. Joseph's King Campus Urgent Care at 2757 King Street East is open 8 am to 10 pm every day, walk-in only, and does not accept ambulances; Hamilton Health Sciences' West End Urgent Care Centre at 690 Main Street West is open 10 am to 9 pm every day. You can also call Health811 at 811 for free medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

Sources: stjoes.ca, stjoes.ca 2, stjoes.ca 3, stjoes.ca 4, stjoes.ca 5, stjoes.ca 6, sjsnaa.com, stjoes.ca (PDF), stjoes.ca 7, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca, stjoes.ca 8, hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca, Wikipedia

Who St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus treats

This ER treats patients aged 18 and older.

Under 18? The nearest tracked children's ER is McMaster Children's Hospital, 3.9 km away.

In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus departments and services

The official St. Joe's facility page lists 57 departments, clinics and services here, grouped below by area of care.

Key services at a glance

  • Psychiatric emergency care
  • Intensive care (ICU)
  • Neonatal intensive care (NICU)
  • Labour and delivery
  • CT scan
  • MRI
  • X-ray
  • Ultrasound
  • Lab

All departments by area of care

Emergency, trauma and critical careEmergency · Intensive Care Unit2
  • Emergency
  • Intensive Care Unit
Heart and blood vesselsCardiology Services1
  • Cardiology Services
SurgeryCentre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) · Chest, Head and Neck Units · Day Surgery8
  • Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS)
  • Chest, Head and Neck Units
  • Day Surgery
  • Minor Procedures Suite
  • PACU (post-anaesthetic recovery)
  • Surgical Inpatient Unit
  • Surgical Outpatient Clinic
  • Surgical Step Down Unit
Bones, joints and musclesFracture and Orthopaedic Clinic1
  • Fracture and Orthopaedic Clinic
Lungs, breathing and sleepFirestone Clinic (FIRH) · Respiratory Rehab Day Program · Sleep Lab and Sleep Clinic3
  • Firestone Clinic (FIRH)
  • Respiratory Rehab Day Program
  • Sleep Lab and Sleep Clinic
Digestive system and liverEndoscopy · G.I. Motility Unit · Gastroenterology3
  • Endoscopy
  • G.I. Motility Unit
  • Gastroenterology
Kidneys and urologyDialysis · Hemodialysis · Kidney Function Program (MCKC)7
  • Dialysis
  • Hemodialysis
  • Kidney Function Program (MCKC)
  • McMaster Institute of Urology
  • Nephrology Inpatient Unit
  • Nephrology Outpatient Unit
  • Urology Inpatient Unit
Transplant and organ donationRenal Transplant Inpatient Unit · Renal Transplant Outpatient Clinic2
  • Renal Transplant Inpatient Unit
  • Renal Transplant Outpatient Clinic
Pregnancy, birth and women's healthBaby Assessment Clinic · Birthing Unit · Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic (EPAC)8
  • Baby Assessment Clinic
  • Birthing Unit
  • Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic (EPAC)
  • Gynecology Inpatient Unit
  • Mother-Baby Unit
  • Obstetrics / Gynecology Clinics
  • Obstetrics / Newborn Family Centre
  • Special Care Nursery
Children and youthPediatric Clinic1
  • Pediatric Clinic
Mental health and addictionAcute Mental Health · Psychiatric Emergency Services2
  • Acute Mental Health
  • Psychiatric Emergency Services
Eyes, ears, nose, throat and dentalAudiology / Hearing Aid Clinic1
  • Audiology / Hearing Aid Clinic
Medicine and specialty clinicsClinical Teaching Unit (CTU 4 BD) · Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU 4 MG) · Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU 5 MG)7
  • Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU 4 BD)
  • Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU 4 MG)
  • Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU 5 MG)
  • Complex Care
  • Geriatrics
  • Internal Medicine Rapid Assessment (IMRAC)
  • Medical Step Down Unit
Diagnostic imaging and lab testsCentre for Interventional Radiology and Oncology · Diagnostic Imaging · Nuclear Medicine5
  • Centre for Interventional Radiology and Oncology
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • PET CT
  • Ultrasound, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Rehabilitation and therapyOccupational Therapy · Physiotherapy · Rehabilitation Inpatient Unit4
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Rehabilitation Inpatient Unit
  • Speech Language Pathology
Patient and family supportSpiritual Care1
  • Spiritual Care
Other clinics and programsOutpatient Department1
  • Outpatient Department

Many clinics and programs need a referral. Check the official page or call the switchboard at 905-522-1155 before you go. In an emergency, call 911.

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ER questions

Understanding the wait

What is the St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ER wait right now?

At 9:31 pm EDT, the average wait to see a doctor (last 6 hours) was 1 hour 9 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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton 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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus 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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus'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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus 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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ER open 24 hours?

Yes. The emergency department at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Who can go to the St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ER?

The emergency department at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus 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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, and is there parking?

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus is at 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6. Charlton Lot (off Charlton Ave., in front of the Juravinski Innovation Tower): $4.50 per half hour, $29 daily maximum. No passes or in-and-out. Ramp 3 (301 James St. S.): $4.50 per half hour, $24 daily maximum; 5-, 10- and 30-day H Passes are available. Rates as of May 1, 2026. Pay stations on Level 0 of the Juravinski Innovation Tower take cash or credit card. The Emergency entrance is the only entrance open 24/7; there is no separate emergency lot.

Source: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

Should I go to urgent care instead of St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton?

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

Where do I go for a mental health crisis in Hamilton?

If it is an emergency, call 911. You can also call or text 988, the Suicide Crisis Helpline; call the 24-hour Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST) at 905-972-8338; or go to the Psychiatric Emergency Service at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus, 50 Charlton Avenue East, next to the emergency department. You can also call your family doctor.

Source: stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; sjsnaa.com; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; stjoes.ca; hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca; en.wikipedia.org

Which St. Joseph's Charlton entrance is open 24 hours?

Only the Emergency Department entrance at 50 Charlton Avenue East is open around the clock. It is in the St. Luke Wing, Level 1. In an emergency, call 911.

Source: stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; sjsnaa.com; stjoes.ca; stjoes.ca; hamiltonhealthsciences.ca; stjoes.ca; hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca; en.wikipedia.org

Can children receive emergency care at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus?

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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus?

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

How can I share feedback about care at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus?

Contact Patient Relations at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton 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

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus

50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6

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 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton is 1 hr 9 min, shorter than the 1 hr 57 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 (2.6 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
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