Nicola Valley Hospital emergency department undergoes ‘immediate’ temporary closure

MERRITT, B.C. — For the 14th time in 2026, the emergency department at Nicola Valley Hospital has been temporarily closed due to a lack of staff.

In a news release issued shortly before 7:00 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 24), Interior Health said emergency services at the Merritt hospital will be unavailable effective immediately. The emergency department is expected to reopen at 7:00 a.m. Sunday (Oct. 25) morning.

During the roughly 12-hour closure, residents in the Merritt area are asked to travel to make the roughly hour-long trip to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops if they’re in need of emergency care. 

All other inpatient services will continue at Nicola Valley Hospital during the temporary emergency room closure.