214 of 717 Canadian emergency departments are posting a live wait or occupancy right now. The shortest is 25 min at Whistler Health Care Centre; the longest is 15h at St. Boniface Hospital (Winnipeg). Provinces measure waits differently, so compare them fairly on the report card.
Find the fastest ER near you → See the state of ER waits in Canada
National median wait by hour of day, built from our own archive of every reading. Waits usually run lightest around 9am and heaviest late at night.
The hour each province's ERs are typically calmest and busiest, from our archive. This is for routine visits; in an emergency, go to the nearest ER no matter the time.
| Province | Usually calmest | Usually busiest |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 5am | 9pm |
| British Columbia | 8am | 11pm |
| Manitoba | 6am | 10pm |
| New Brunswick | 7am | 12am |
| Ontario | 9am | 1am |
| Prince Edward Island | 8am | 5am |
How much each province publishes about its ERs, and how fresh it is. Open a province for the full breakdown.
“ER wait time” means different things across Canada. Ontario, Alberta and BC post the wait to be seen; Quebec posts stretcher occupancy; New Brunswick posts total length of stay. ER Compass labels every number with its source and what it measures, and keeps the full open archive.