Two Northeast B.C. emergency rooms on diversion over the weekend

Noah Abel

May 04, 2026 at 2:09PM EDT

A treatment room in the emergency department at Peter Lougheed hospital is pictured in, Calgary, Alta., Aug. 22, 2023. The Canadian Medical Association says there should be better tracking of health care spending, following health care agreements the federal government has signed with the provinces and territories. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Two Northeast B.C. communities were hit by hospital diversions over the weekend.

On Saturday emergency departments services were interrupted at the Chetwynd Hospital.

The ER was supposed to be shutdown between 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. However, Northern Health announced it would reopen at 6:15 p.m. instead.

On Sunday, the emergency room at the Fort Nelson General Hospital was closed due to staffing challenges. Services were interrupted for most of the day, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

When an ER is closed, residents needing emergency care are being reminded to still call 9-1-1 to be transported to the nearest available hospital.