Clearwater ER faces eighth July closure

CLEARWATER, B.C. — Clearwater residents will be without emergency services overnight on Saturday (July 18), marking the eighth closure this month and ninth in 2026.

Interior Health said the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital will be closed for eight hours, from 11 p.m. on Saturday to 7 a.m. on Sunday (July 19).

All other inpatient services will remain active during the closure, but those in need of emergency care are directed to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, which is over an hour-long drive away.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” said Interior Health.