Health officials have announced maternity diversions and overnight emergency department closures at separate hospitals in B.C.’s Lower Mainland—the latest impacts of physician shortages in the province.
The maternity diversions at Peace Arch Hospital and overnight ER closures at Mission Memorial Hospital will both begin Monday, Fraser Health said.
The health authority had previously warned families expecting newborns that diversions could happen at Peace Arch or Ridge Meadows Hospital over the holiday season, citing a temporary lack of available obstetrician-gynecologists.
Speaking to CTV News earlier this month, Dr. Darren Lazare, Fraser Health’s regional head for obstetrics and gynecology, apologized to expectant parents “for the stress that this might cause.”
“We are looking to recruit,” Lazare added. “We are actively recruiting across the province, across the country, and across North America.”
The diversions are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Dec. 29 and end at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1, with updates posted on the Fraser Health website.
Meanwhile, Mission Memorial Hospital’s ER will only be operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for nine days straight. Regular 24-hour care is scheduled to return at 8 a.m. on Jan. 7.
During the overnight closures, locals have been advised to call 911 during emergencies as usual, so paramedics can assess the situation and take them to the most appropriate hospital for their needs.
ERs at nearby Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Ridge Meadows Hospital are expected to remain open 24 hours a day.
Staffing issues have forced Mission Memorial to close its emergency department six other times this year, drawing frustration from the community and leading to a rally outside the hospital last month.
In a statement, Fraser Health framed the upcoming reduced hours as a means of providing “clear, reliable and predictable access” to emergency care.
Asked if officials are confident the changes will prevent the need for more full ER closures during that period, Dr. Ralph Belle, vice-president of medicine for Fraser Health, said: “Yes, we have a full schedule at this point in time.”
The issues at Mission Memorial mirror those at hospitals across the province and country, Belle said, though there are some unique challenges as well.
Many of the available locums—physicians who temporarily fill shifts—live closer to the coast, and have more convenient options when choosing where to work, Belle said.
Mission Memorial was also damaged in a flood last year, and the facilities are undergoing a much-needed upgrade.
“We’re actively working towards having a very modern emergency department at Mission,” Belle told CTV News. “We suspect that will lead to physicians stepping up and wanting to work at Mission more, and retaining more physicians as well.”
In a statement, Mission Mayor Paul Horn applauded the health authority’s “extraordinary creativity” in adopting the reduced hours over the holiday season.
“We know that the people of Mission are concerned about the availability of emergency services,” Horn said. “We’re looking forward to the addition of more health-care staff in the new year to ensure that our emergency ward is a reliable service for everyone.” The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 26, 2025.
