Merritt mayor speaks out after ER closure during music festival and major wildfires

MERRITT — The mayor of Merritt is speaking out after the Nicola Valley Hospital’s emergency room was closed for the third time in 2026, this time during a major music festival.

Mayor Michael Goetz said he’s concerned Sunday’s (July 12) 11-hour closure coincided with major influxes of people in the community of about 7,000 people.

“The issue here is the fact that we had more than 6,500 people attending the Bass Coast music festival, we also are in the middle of the Ainslie Creek wildfire with several hundred active firefighters battling the blaze daily and not to mention the evacuees we have taken in who have been affected by this fire,” said Goetz.

“I cannot stress enough how an ER that is in this situation needs to be open and active.”

According to Goetz, the Merritt ER was supposed to be closed for 48 hours this weekend, but that situation was averted. He credits that to efforts by Interior Health to try and keep the lights on.

“I will tell you how grateful I am that my director worked very hard all last week to make this an 11-hour shutdown and not a 48-hour (closure) that was originally projected” added Goetz. “I am also aware that working with this director has kept this ER open in Merritt many times when it was facing closure and for that, this community thanks her.”

Goetz also said he has received advance warnings from Interior Health about eight closures coming to the Merritt ER over the coming months. He did not elaborate.

“If I could get some explanation on how we know these closures are coming but unable to cover the shifts, I would be grateful and I can bet all other communities experiencing these ER closures would as well,” said Goetz.

Goetz’s statement comes as residents in 100 Mile House are facing a pair of 13-hour closures this week, the 24th and 25th of the year in the Cariboo community. In the North Thompson, the ER in Clearwater was also closed for 13 hours this weekend, the sixth overnight closure this month.

“To date in the IHA, we have had 52 ER closures in 194 days. That equals out to a closed ER every 3.8 days in the IHA for 2026,” Goetz said. “What are we looking at to rectify this issue? Last year in 2025, we had 137 ER closures in 365 days. That equals out to an ER closure every 2.6 days in the IHA.”

The Nicola Valley emergency room was closed on 13 different occasions last year, and on 40 different occasions across 2023 and 2024.

Goetz said those closures not only pose concerns for people who need emergency care, but they also present unnecessary strain for community budgets.

“The estimated cost of the 2025 ER closures in the IHA has a value of $232,900 total to the affected communities that had their ER closed,” he added. “This money is paid in advance and in full but yet we do not get the coverage we pay for. We see no credit for next year or any offer of repayment. Can this be rectified ?”

Last week, Interior Health announced some progress to address staffing shortages, particularly in 100 Mile House, which has experienced 25 closures so far in 2026.

“I understand this is an issue that is being worked on, but we have been seeing this trend for four years now. Can you address what is being done as we move forward to rectify these ER closures?” concluded Goetz.

CFJC Today has reached out to Interior Health, but has not received a response at deadline.