Calgary's ED Waits: Another Night, Another Long Haul? What You Need to Know.
The Scene: Deerfoot Dash or Emergency Room Drag?
It’s a sentiment many Calgarians can relate to: that sinking feeling when you check the emergency department wait times, and the numbers are creeping upward. Just recently, we saw Edmonton Zone EDs pushing past eight hours, and right here in Calgary, we've watched our own facilities flirting with the five-hour mark and beyond. For our dedicated EMS crews, it’s a constant battle, cycling in and out of critical alerts, signaling moments when no ambulances are available for urgent calls. It makes you wonder: if you or a loved one needs critical care tonight, how long will you really be waiting? For instance, on December 19, 2025, the Peter Lougheed Centre was looking at an estimated 8 hours and 15 minutes, while the Rockyview General Hospital showed 5 hours and 16 minutes. These aren't just statistics; they're precious hours out of your life, potentially spent in discomfort, anxiety, or worse.
What's Changing: Playing Catch-Up on Care
The province isn't entirely unaware of our plight. Alberta Health Services (AHS) actively displays estimated real-time emergency department wait times for acute care facilities, keeping Calgarians informed, though these numbers reflect the time from triage to physician, not your entire stay. The Alberta government, through its "Acute Care Action Plan" unveiled in November 2025, has ambitious goals: over 1,000 new acute care beds for Calgary and Edmonton, plus 50,000 additional surgical procedures over three years. Specifically for Calgary, this includes new bed towers at the South Health Campus hospital. On the EMS front, AHS implemented an "EMS Return to Service initiative" in March 2023, aiming for paramedics to hand over patients within a 45-minute target, getting ambulances back on the road faster. These are steps designed to ease the pressure on our system and, ultimately, on you, the patient.
The Neighborhood Vibe: Leaving Before You're Seen
Despite the plans, the reality on the ground often tells a different story. NDP health critic Sarah Hoffman voiced a common frustration in July 2025, stating that it's "unacceptable that so many Albertans are without access to a family doctor, and emergency room wait times remain dangerously high." And the data backs it up: a report from the Alberta Medical Association in July 2025 highlighted a concerning trend – almost one in five Albertans (18%) who head to the emergency room leave before actually receiving care. That's hundreds of our neighbours, friends, and family members walking away without getting the help they need. As of December 19, 2025, for non-critical cases, the Peter Lougheed Centre had estimated wait times of 7 hours and 26 minutes, and the South Health Campus was at 5 hours and 44 minutes. When you're facing those kinds of waits, especially for non-urgent issues, it's easy to see why some decide to simply head home.
Looking Ahead: Navigating the System
So, what's a Calgarian to do? While AHS continues to seek public feedback and implement plans to improve services, the current reality demands awareness. Average emergency room wait times for non-critical cases in Calgary during 2025 have been estimated to range from 2 to 7 hours, depending on the facility. If you find yourself needing care, utilize the AHS online tools to check current estimated wait times for facilities like the Peter Lougheed Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, and South Health Campus before heading out. And as that viral tweet wisely noted, please be safe, Calgary. Stay informed, understand your options, and advocate for the care you deserve. Our health system is working hard, but it's clearly still got a long road ahead.
