Hamilton ER Wait Times

4 hospital ERs, including a children's ER plus 2 urgent care centres in Hamilton. Check available wait times from official sources, hours and directions.

6 of 6 reportingSource: official sources

Right now· Average wait to see a doctor (last 6 hours)

4 of 4 ERs reporting

Typical wait1 hr 48 minMedian across reporting ERs
Shortest wait1 hr 16 minSt. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton CampusLongest wait4 hr 6 minJuravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre
Show

Hamilton children's ER wait times

Children's emergency departments see children and teens only; adults go to an adult or all-ages ER.

Which Hamilton hospitals handle trauma, stroke or burns?

From each hospital's official services list. In an emergency, paramedics take you to the right hospital: call 911.
Trauma care
Hamilton General Hospital, McMaster Children's Hospital
Stroke care
Hamilton General Hospital
Burn care
Hamilton General Hospital
Children's emergency care
McMaster Children's Hospital
Psychiatric emergency care
McMaster Children's Hospital, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus
Labour and delivery
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus

About emergency care in Hamilton

Hamilton has four emergency departments. Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) runs three: Hamilton General Hospital at 237 Barton Street East, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre at 711 Concession Street, and McMaster Children's Hospital at 1200 Main Street West. St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton runs the fourth, at its Charlton Campus, 50 Charlton Avenue East. Hamilton General, Juravinski and Charlton are for adults aged 18 and over; McMaster Children's is the kids-only emergency department, for infants, children and youth aged 17 and under.

All four publish their wait on hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca. It is the length of time between arriving at the front desk to check in and seeing a doctor, calculated by averaging each patient's wait over the last six hours, and it is updated automatically every 15 minutes. Patients with the most serious needs are always seen first.

Sources: hamiltonemergencywaittimes.ca, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca, hamiltonhealthsciences.ca 2, stjoes.ca, Wikipedia

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 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

Hamilton ER wait time questions

What is the shortest ER wait in Hamilton right now?

At 8:25 pm EDT, the shortest published ER wait was St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus at 1 hour 16 minutes. The median across 4 reporting ERs was 1 hour 48 minutes. Numbers change through the day, so check the list above before you go.

How are Hamilton ER wait times calculated?

Hamilton Emergency Wait Times publishes "Average wait to see a doctor (last 6 hours)": The length of time between when you arrive to the front desk to check in and when you see a doctor. It is calculated by averaging the time that each patient has waited over the last six hours and is updated automatically every 15 minutes. Patients are triaged with the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale and the sickest are seen first, so your own wait may be shorter or longer.

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: Hamilton Emergency Wait Times

How often are Hamilton ER wait times updated?

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.

Publication and checking frequencies
SourceProvider updatesOur checks
Hamilton Emergency Wait TimesAbout every 15 minutesEvery 5 minutes

Is there a children's ER in Hamilton?

Yes: McMaster Children's 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.

Do all ERs listed on this Hamilton page publish wait times?

Yes. Every ER and urgent care centre listed on this page has a published wait estimate.

Should I go to urgent care or the ER in 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, and its waits are listed separately. If you are not sure where to go, call Health811 at 811 for advice from a nurse.

More Ontario wait times

Photo credits (4)
  • St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Charlton Campus: photo by Nhl4hamilton (Rick Cordeiro), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Hamilton General Hospital: photo by Nephron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre: photo by Nephron, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • McMaster Children's Hospital: photo by Takipoint123, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Medical emergency? Call 911 now.

Do not check wait times or drive yourself if you have chest pain, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding or trouble breathing. Paramedics can start treatment on the way to hospital.

Call 911