They are the live estimates each hospital publishes, refreshed about every 10 minutes; we stamp every reading with the moment the hospital said it was current and flag a feed that goes stale. They are estimates, not guarantees, an emergency room always sees the sickest patients first, so your own wait can differ. We also backtest our forecasts against what hospitals post next; see the accuracy page.
What does the wait time actually measure?
Usually the estimated time to be seen by a physician, but Canada has no common definition. Quebec publishes stretcher occupancy, New Brunswick length of stay, and others an estimate of the wait to be seen, so we keep each province in its own units and never blend them into one misleading number.
Should I go to the ER, or somewhere else?
For anything life-threatening, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now, never wait for a shorter posted time. For a non-urgent problem, calling 811 (free 24/7 health advice), a walk-in clinic, or a pharmacist is often faster. When in doubt, get checked.
Why do some hospitals show no wait time?
Not every Canadian ER publishes a live wait, and some provinces release none at all. A blank means we have no live number, not that the ER is closed. Open a hospital's page for its current status, official website, and phone number.
Which Fort Smith ER has the shortest wait right now?
The list above is ordered by current posted wait, so the shortest comparable wait is at the top, but it shifts minute to minute, and in a real emergency the right choice is the nearest open ER, which can stabilize you and transfer you if needed.