Emergency Room Wait Times in Calgary (Updated 2025)

Overview — Know Where to Go in a Calgary Medical Emergency

When a health emergency strikes, every minute matters.
Calgary has several emergency departments and urgent-care centres serving hundreds of patients daily.
However, ER wait times can range from minutes to several hours depending on case severity, location, and time of day.

This guide explains:
✅ How emergency wait times are calculated
✅ Where to check live wait-time updates
✅ Which Calgary hospitals have the longest and shortest queues
✅ When it’s better to see a walk-in or family doctor such as Dr Helen Dion
✅ What to do in a life-threatening emergency

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Live Calgary Emergency Wait-Time Sources

Always use official Alberta Health Services (AHS) data:

• AHS Current Wait Times Dashboard – province-wide listing of ER & urgent-care waits

• EDWaitTimes.ca – mobile-friendly unofficial aggregator

• Hospital-specific AHS pages:

  • Foothills Medical Centre – Calgary AB

  • South Health Campus

  • Rockyview General Hospital

  • Peter Lougheed Centre

Times update roughly every 15 minutes and represent median time from triage to first physician contact.

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Average ER Wait Times in Calgary (2025 Estimates)

(Source: AHS public dashboard, averaged early 2025)

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Understanding Triage and Wait Times

• Level 1 – Resuscitation: Immediate (heart attack, stroke, major trauma)

• Level 2 – Emergent: Seen within 15 minutes

• Level 3 – Urgent: 30–60 minutes

• Level 4 – Less urgent: 1–2 hours

• Level 5 – Non-urgent: 2–6 hours or longer

Why the wait feels long

• Surges in flu/RSV/COVID cases

• Staffing or bed availability

• Time of day (6 p.m.–midnight busiest)

• Diagnostic tests slowing flow

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When to Visit an Emergency Department

Go directly to the nearest ER or dial 911 if you have:

• Chest pain or shortness of breath

• Stroke symptoms (face droop, arm weakness, speech trouble)

• Major trauma or bleeding

• Loss of consciousness

• Severe abdominal pain or vomiting blood

• Sudden confusion or seizure

• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)

For everything else — minor injuries, infections, routine prescriptions — a family doctor or urgent care clinic may treat you faster and at no cost.

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Urgent-Care Centres (Shorter Waits)

• Airdrie Community Health Centre – 24 h urgent care

• South Calgary Health Centre (31 Sunpark Pl SE) – walk-in and after-hours

• Sheldon M. Chumir Urgent Care Centre – Downtown, 8 a.m.–10 p.m.

Average wait times: 30 min – 3 h depending on acuity.

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Family-Doctor and Walk-In Alternatives — Skip the ER When Safe

For non-emergency issues, seeing a family physician first prevents crowding and ensures follow-up.

Dr Helen Dion – Family Doctor (Calgary SW)

Clinic: Pinnacle Medical Centres – Trinity Hills
Address: 909 Na’a Dr SW | 📞 (587) 864-6149 | DrHelenDion.ca

Common same-day visits:

• Minor cuts, sprains, and burns

• Fever and cough in children

• Urinary tract infection or abdominal pain

• Migraine, rash, skin infection

• Mental-health check-ins & referrals

• Routine follow-ups after ER discharge

Appointments are fully covered by Alberta Health, and the clinic offers same-day or next-day slots for urgent non-critical needs.

“When in doubt, call your family doctor before the ER — you may be seen sooner and avoid hours of waiting.” – Dr Helen Dion

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How to Check Current Wait Times in Real Time

1. Visit albertahealthservices.ca/waittimes

2. Select ‘Emergency Department’ and choose your city

3. Compare hospitals (Foothills, Rockyview, South Health Campus, PLC)

4. Check update timestamp (top right corner)

If times exceed 3 hours for Level 4-5 issues, consider urgent care or family practice.

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Emergency Wait Times by Hospital

Foothills Medical Centre (NW Calgary)

• 1403 29 St NW | Major trauma & cardiac centre

• Average wait: 3–7 h (non-critical)

• Foothills Wait Times Dashboard →

Rockyview General Hospital (SW Calgary)

• 7007 14 St SW | Urology & maternity services

• Average wait: 2–5 h

• Rockyview Wait Times →

South Health Campus (SE Calgary)

• 4448 Front St SE | Modern ER, pediatrics, mental health

• Average wait: 2–4 h

• South Health Campus Wait Times →

Peter Lougheed Centre (NE Calgary)

• 3500 26 Ave NE | Cardiac & surgery care

• Average wait: 3–6 h

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Neighbouring Communities

• Airdrie Hospital Wait Time: ≈ 90 min (non-critical)

• Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital: ≈ 1–2 h

• Stollery Children’s Hospital (Edmonton): specialized pediatrics

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Tips to Reduce Your Own ER Wait

• Bring your Alberta Health Care card and ID

• Describe symptoms clearly to triage

• Avoid eating/drinking before tests unless told otherwise

• Keep a list of medications & allergies

• Carry phone charger & water

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When ER Waits Are Long — Call Health Link 811

• Nurses can advise whether to go to ER or see a doctor

• Available 24 hours for symptom triage

• Can connect you to after-hours clinics and walk-ins

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Summary — Know Before You Go

• Calgary ER wait times change hourly; check AHS updates before you head out

• Use urgent care or family doctors for non-critical problems

• In life-threatening emergencies → call 911

• For continuity of care and faster access, see Dr Helen Dion at Pinnacle Trinity Hills — covered by Alberta Health