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By Victor Kaisar/Dylana Kneeshaw

ER Closures

BC paramedics warn of increasing ER closures this winter

Nov 17, 2025 | 1:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — Paramedics in British Columbia are warning that the number of temporary emergency room closures could be on the rise this winter.

The Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia (CUPE Local 873) says there have already been 250 separate hospital and emergency room closures across B.C. this year. That includes a number of communities in Interior Health, most notably Lillooet and 100 Mile House.

“As these closures increase, the weight on paramedics grows heavier,” said Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia (APBC) president Jason Jackson. “Our members are being asked to fill gaps across the system that continue to widen.”

The union is warning that, as winter pressures escalate, paramedics are increasingly being asked to transport people to facilities that are open — often during times of severe weather and over long transport distances, especially outside the Lower Mainland

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“Our paramedics have stepped up again and again,” Jackson added. “We’re sending our paramedics across the province to keep communities staffed and covered, but with every closure, it’s harder for them to keep the system moving.”

APBC Communications Director Ian Tait told CFJC emergency department shutdowns on weekends or overnights do impact the workload placed on paramedics.

“When an ER closes down, the ambulance service — and effectively our paramedics and dispatchers — become the healthcare system in that community,” said Tait. “Now, we’re also looking at logistics as far as transferring patients to surrounding hospitals and sometimes that can be hours away. That now leaves that community unprotected if we’re suffering any type of staffing issue.”

The union has also been in contract negotiations with the province since mid-September, noting repeated ER closures underscore “how essential it is to properly support and stabilize the paramedic workforce.”

“We’re definitely bringing a lot of solutions to the table,” added Tait. “I know our bargaining team has talked about improving response times, talking about recruitment and retention and staffing. How to come up with more paramedics per year to offset the ones that are retiring, or the ones who are injured.”

“If we can’t make those gains at the bargaining table or we can’t be taken seriously there, we’re really nervous about what’s going to happen in the new year.”

With the winter months approaching, the union is also urging people to be prepared — especially in communities that have seen ER closures — in the event they have to drive themselves to a facility in another community.

“If your local hospital has had closures in the past, please have a plan,” Jackson added. “Know your nearest available ER, be aware of weather conditions and understand transport times may be longer during these closures.”

“When in doubt, call 911, and know that our dispatchers and paramedics are working around the clock on your behalf.”