Patients in Northwest B.C. are experiencing a refreshing shift as emergency room (ER) doors remain open in local hospitals.

Although by February 2025, Northern Health (NH) hospitals are still facing a in their baseline healthcare positions, the staffing situation has shown incremental improvement.

The ERs in Prince Rupert, Masset, and Kitimat experienced a high rate of interruptions in the first half of 2024, but showed a significant drop in closures from August 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025.

In Masset (northern Haida Gwaii), the ER faced around 33 closures between Feb. 1 and July 31, 2024, but that number dropped to just eight in the following six months. The ER in Daajing Giids saw zero disturbances during the same period.

Kitimat's ER closed on 23 instances in the first half of the year but decreased to 16 closures in the second half.

Meanwhile, Prince Rupert's ER, which was interrupted 16 times between February and July last year, improved to just nine closures from August to Jan. 31 this year.

Northern Health covers 32 communities and 55 First Nations in British Columbia, serving a population of approximately 300,000 with 18 hospitals in total.

Including all the ERs they manage in the north, the last six months have seen 25 per cent fewer closures than the previous six months.

Shifting gears

NH's February data indicates it approved 285 employees (40 part-time and 245 full-time) for hiring since last year.

In July 2024, the situation was dire as ERs faced numerous closures, lasting from four hours to 18 hours.

While communities in the region continue to face ongoing healthcare challenges, the health authority, dabbling with various new resources and initiatives, is instilling some hope.

In May 2024, CEO Ciro Panessa established the Northern Health Emergency Department Stabilization Taskforce to provide strategic leadership in preventing and mitigating emergency department closures. The task force identifies and implements short-, medium- and long-term solutions for the challenges facing northern B.C. hospital emergency departments.

NH reports it successfully expedited the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive, offering up to $30,000 for qualified hires with a two-year return-of-service agreement.

It has explored virtual and hybrid emergency department service options to establish a pilot project in the north. 

The task force has also expanded the use of the healthcare worker support program , agency, and locum staff to fill vacant shifts. It obtained priority access to several new nurse staffing agencies to help reduce coverage gaps.

Additionally, NH enhanced consultation with emergency department staff for solutions and established regular communication between its CEO and local municipal and Indigenous leaders to discuss solutions and updates on reducing service interruptions.

Between last summer and now, the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital has recruited three new Registered Nurses (RNs) and has a fourth hire pending. It took additional support from GoHealthBC staff and agency nurses.

NH told The Northern View that three more physicians will join the Prince Rupert ER between March and July this year.  

Kitimat General Hospital has been using the heavy support of nurses through GoHealthBC and agency nurses. It also has one new emergency department RN, expected to start in March.

Also, two new physicians will begin practicing in the community soon.

Kitimat's district municipality stepped in by hiring a Health Recruitment Coordinator to complement NH's recruitment efforts in the community.

"While this position is new, Northern Health anticipates it will help attract health care professionals to the community," said Eryn Collins, regional director of public affairs & media relations at Northern Health.

Regarding filling baseline healthcare worker roles, NH hospitals faced significant shortages between 2022 and 2025, with 2024 being especially challenging. Baseline positions, such as physicians, RNs, specialists, and lab technologists are critical for maintaining safe and effective patient care.

In October 2022, staffing shortages stood at 20.05 per cent unfilled positions, rising to 20.50 per sent by April 2023. The crisis climbed in April 2024 to 22.15 per cent, leading to eventual increased ER closures. By February 2025, vacancies improved to 20.17 per cent, nearly returning to 2022 levels.

"Northern Health makes every effort to prevent service interruptions and works to limit their duration (right up to and even while they are occurring) and the impact on patient care when they do unfortunately occur," said Arthur Williams, communications advisor, strategy & public affairs at Northern Health.