EMERGENCY SERVICES

Island Health (Vancouver Island Health Authority) provides a wide range of emergency and urgent care services across Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and the Sunshine Coast. These are divided into 24/7 Emergency Departments, Urgent Care Centres, and specialized Crisis Response teams.

1. 24/7 Hospital Emergency Departments

These facilities are for life-threatening or serious medical conditions. They are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Region

Hospital Name

Location

South Island

Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH)

Victoria

Victoria General Hospital (VGH)

Victoria

Cowichan District Hospital

Duncan

Central Island

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital

Nanaimo

West Coast General Hospital

Port Alberni

Tofino General Hospital

Tofino

North Island

North Island Hospital Campbell River

Campbell River

North Island Hospital Comox Valley

Courtenay

Port McNeill Hospital

Port McNeill

Limited Hours/Rural Emergency Care: > * Saanich Peninsula Hospital (Saanichton): Emergency Department is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

• Lady Minto Hospital (Salt Spring Island): Provides 24/7 emergency care for the Gulf Islands.

• Port Hardy Hospital: Emergency hours may vary; currently listed as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

• Cormorant Island Health Centre (Alert Bay): Open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

2. Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCCs)

Visit a UPCC for injuries or illnesses that are urgent but not life-threatening (e.g., stitches, sprains, high fever) and need care within 12–24 hours.

• Victoria Area: Downtown Victoria, Esquimalt, Gorge, James Bay, North Quadra, and Westshore UPCCs.

• Nanaimo: Central Nanaimo and Medical Arts UPCCs.

• Other Areas: Comox Valley (Courtenay), Cowichan (Duncan), and Oceanside (Parksville).

• Community Urgent Care: Chemainus Health Care Centre and Ladysmith Community Health Centre offer urgent care services during set daytime hours.

3. Mental Health & Substance Use Crisis Services

For those experiencing a psychiatric crisis or in need of immediate addiction support:

• Vancouver Island Crisis Line: Call 1-888-494-3888 (Available 24/7).

• Integrated Mobile Crisis Response Team (IMCRT): A team of clinicians and plainclothes police who respond to mental health crises in the South Island (1 p.m. – midnight).

• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: National call or text service available 24/7.

• Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES): Located within major hospitals like Royal Jubilee and Nanaimo Regional for specialized psychiatric stabilization.

4. Specialized Emergency Services

• Forensic Nursing: Available 24/7 at most major hospitals for survivors of sexual assault or intentional violence.

• Poison Control: Managed through the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911.

• Stroke & Heart Attack: Major hospitals (VGH, RJH, and Nanaimo) have specialized teams for rapid cardiac and neuro-assessment.

How to Check Wait Times

Island Health provides live wait time estimates for its busiest emergency departments. You can check these at islandhealth.ca/find-care.

In any life-threatening situation, always dial 9-1-1 immediately.