CHETWYND, B.C. - Ongoing emergency department closures across Northeast B.C. are continuing to strain access to health care this summer, with residents in multiple communities facing service interruptions due to ongoing staffing shortages.
Northern Health announced the emergency department at the Chetwynd Hospital and Health Centre was forced to close overnight this weekend because of staffing challenges, with services unavailable between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
During the closure, patients requiring life-threatening emergency care were directed to call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest appropriate facility.
The latest interruption comes as another Northeast B.C. community continues to deal with a prolonged loss of emergency services.
Northern Health has extended the closure of the emergency department at the Hudson’s Hope Health Centre for an additional week, with the facility now expected to reopen on Aug. 10 at 8:30 a.m.
The emergency department had previously been scheduled to resume operations on Monday. According to Northern Health, the Hudson’s Hope closure is linked to physician shortages.
The health authority has said the community is currently served by just one part-time physician.
The latest extension adds to a growing number of emergency department disruptions seen across Northeast B.C. this year, particularly in smaller rural communities where recruiting and retaining health-care professionals remains an ongoing challenge.
Hudson’s Hope has experienced several emergency department closures throughout 2026.
Northern Health says emergency department availability can change on short notice and is encouraging residents to check its online emergency department status page for the most up-to-date information before seeking care.
The health authority also continues to direct patients with non-urgent health concerns to alternative services, including virtual care programs, pharmacists and HealthLink BC.
For many residents across the Peace Region, the repeated closures have become an increasingly familiar reality, raising ongoing concerns about reliable access to emergency medical care in rural and remote communities.