Need care now? Explore your options.

Emergency Care / Call 9-1-1

Life-threatening or serious emergencies such as chest pain, stroke, overdose, or severe injury

Same-Day & Next-Day Care

See a health provider in-person at an Island Health clinic. Most clinics require an appointment – call ahead to book. 

No Family Doctor? Start here.

You can still get care at clinics, pharmacies, online, and from community services across the Island.

Talk to a Nurse / Call 8-1-1

Call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health advice. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Pharmacy Services

Get fast help with things like UTIs, pink eye, shingles, prescription refills, and vaccines.

Attached to a clinic? Call them first.

Ask if you can you can get seen today or tomorrow — they may have a same-day or next-day appointment. 

Sexual Assault Care in the ED

Get help after sexual or relationship violence. You can go to the ED up to 7 days after to see a forensic nurse. No police unless you ask.

See a Doctor or Nurse Online (Virtual Care)

Talk to a doctor, nurse practitioner, or other health professional by phone or video anywhere in B.C.

Home Care Services

Get help with ongoing health needs, daily tasks, nursing and rehabilitation, end-of-life support and more.

Hospital Emergency Departments (ER) and Wait Times

How wait times and triage work
  • After you arrive, a nurse does a check called triage to see how urgent your condition is.
  • Patients are seen by urgency — life-threatening emergencies go first, not by who arrived first.
  • The wait time is an estimate based on what’s happening in the Emergency Department right now:
    • How many patients are waiting
    • How urgent their needs are
    • How many people are currently being seen.
  • The time shown is how long it takes for 9 out of 10 people to see a doctor or nurse practitioner after triage.
  • Wait times can change as things change in the department.


Thank you for your patience — we know waiting can be hard, and we’re working hard to care for everyone safely.

North Island

Cormorant Island Emergency Department

Alert Bay, BC
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
OPEN
Life-threatening cases seen first.
Life-threatening cases seen first.
Life-threatening cases seen first.

Port Hardy Hospital Emergency Department

Port Hardy, BC
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
OPEN
Life-threatening cases seen first.
Life-threatening cases seen first.

Central Island

Cowichan District Hospital ED

Duncan, BC
2 hours 29 minutes
Life-threatening cases seen first.

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital ED

Nanaimo, BC
5 hours 8 minutes
Life-threatening cases seen first.

Tofino General Hospital

Tofino, BC
OPEN
Life-threatening cases seen first.

West Coast General Hospital ED

Port Alberni, BC
1 hour 45 minutes
Life-threatening cases seen first.

South Island

Life-threatening cases seen first.

Royal Jubilee Hospital ED

Victoria, BC
5 hours 27 minutes
Life-threatening cases seen first.

Saanich Peninsula Hospital ED

Saanichton, BC
Open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
4 hours 12 minutes
Life-threatening cases seen first.

Victoria General Hospital ED

Victoria, BC
6 hours 35 minutes
Life-threatening cases seen first.