For the second time within a week, the emergency department at the hospital in 100 Mile House had to close temporarily, prompting the mayor of the South Cariboo region in British Columbia to advocate for sustainable long-term solutions. The 100 Mile District General Hospital’s emergency department shut down on Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., marking the second closure this year. Previously, the ER was scheduled to close on January 2 for 25 hours but ended up being closed for 13 hours until physician coverage was arranged.
Throughout last year, the 100 Mile House emergency room experienced over two dozen temporary closures. Due to the lack of doctors, Interior Health recommended individuals in need of urgent care to visit Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake, located about 90 kilometers away, or dial 911.
Mayor Maureen Pinkney highlighted the staffing issue as the primary cause of the recurrent closures at the 100 Mile House hospital. She expressed concerns about the impact on the community, emphasizing the vulnerability during outdoor events and sports activities. Mayor Pinkney reached out to B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne in mid-December and remains optimistic about ongoing discussions with Interior Health for potential improvements.
To address the staffing challenges, Mayor Pinkney proposed extending the hours for nurse practitioners to work in rural emergency rooms, aiming to alleviate the pressure faced by these facilities. The Ministry of Health confirmed efforts to explore integrating nurse practitioners into emergency departments more effectively at a provincial level.
In a related context, the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. disclosed that by November 2025, there had been over 250 temporary closures of hospitals and emergency rooms. Various communities, including Lillooet, Delta, Williams Lake, and Chetwynd, experienced temporary ER closures last year due to staffing shortages. Fraser Health recently adjusted the operating hours of Mission Memorial Hospital’s emergency department, underscoring that despite temporary changes at individual hospitals, access to emergency and specialized care remains prioritized through coordinated planning and resource sharing.
The Ministry of Health highlighted initiatives to attract and retain rural healthcare providers, such as recruitment campaigns that have successfully brought over 174 U.S. healthcare workers to British Columbia. Interior Health also initiated a pilot program in December involving four B.C. Interior hospitals to provide virtual consultations for emergency-care patients, aiming to address staffing challenges and improve service delivery.
