Vancouver Islanders in need of emergency care can now check wait times before they head to the hospital, thanks to a long-anticipated new website from Island Health.
As of Thursday, July 3, the health authority is publishing estimated emergency department wait times for its eight major hospitals on islandhealth.ca/findcare.
The tool shows how long patients can expect to wait to see a doctor, based on data from the past eight weeks for the same day and time at each hospital.
“It is anticipated 9 out of 10 patients will be seen within the estimated wait time and most people should be seen sooner,” Island Health said in a statement Thursday.
As of around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, the site was online and showing ER wait times of seven hours and 24 minutes for Victoria General Hospital, five hours and 38 minutes for Royal Jubilee Hospital and three hours for Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
Island Health says people with life-threatening conditions will still be prioritized and should never hesitate to call 911 or go directly to the ER.
The new tool also includes information about alternative care options, including urgent and primary care centres (UPCCs), community clinics and self-help resources.
Island Health says it’s part of a broader strategy to reduce overcrowding in emergency departments and redirecting patients with non-emergency needs.
“‘How long can I expect to wait’ is one of the most common questions we hear from people in our emergency departments,” Dr. Ben Williams, Island Health’s vice-president of medicine, quality, research and chief medical officer, said in a statement.
“I believe this new resource will support frontline staff and physicians in focusing on providing the best care possible, while empowering people to make informed choices about the care options available to them.”
The tool arrives after months of public pressure and political criticism. In the past year, Vancouver Island parents have spoken out about waiting eight to 14 hours with sick children in ERs, even prompting one Langford mom to create a Facebook group to crowdsource wait times from other patients.
Critics had been questioning why Island Health wasn’t already providing the information, given that both the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal Health authorities have had online ER wait time dashboards for years.
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Health Minister Josie Osborned acknowledged in April that a standardized provincial approach was needed and confirmed that Island Health was developing its own system.
Until now, Island Health only posted wait times inside emergency rooms, a move that opposition critics argued didn’t help patients before arriving.
As frustration with ER wait times has grown on the Island, the most recent performance review from Island Health found the number of people leaving ERs without being seen hit 7.3 per cent in late 2024 — more than triple the target rate of two per cent.
In response, Island Health says it has hired more than 800 new nurses in 2024, opened new UPCCs in Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley and added a primary care access clinic in Campbell River.
Officials stress that the new online wait time tool is just one piece of a broader plan to improve emergency care access and transparency.
“We know this webpage has been highly anticipated and I want to express my gratitude to the communities we serve for their patience — and to the Island Health teams who put in so much work to ensure we are providing the most accurate information possible,” said Marko Peljhan, Island Health’s vice-president for acute clinical operations.
Island Health says it will closely monitor the site in the weeks following the launch and may make adjustments to improve accuracy.
