Lillooet Hospital faces 13-hour emergency department closure this weekend

LILLOOET, B.C. — Lillooet Hospital emergency department will be closed for 13 hours on Saturday (Sept. 5), marking the fourth such closure in 2026.

Interior Health (IH) said emergency services will be unavailable from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, but all other inpatient services will remain available during the closure.

In the meantime, patients can access care at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, which is a two-hour drive away.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” said a statement from IH.