Some residents and local leaders are expressing concern after yet another emergency room (ER) closure at a Metro Vancouver hospital.
We wrote about a closure at Delta Hospital’s ER earlier this year. This past weekend, the hospital experienced another closure that lasted over 12 hours.
According to Delta Councillor Dylan Kruger, this is the fourth time the ER has closed at the Metro Vancouver hospital just this year.
“A city of more than 110,000 people has been left without access to emergency care in its own community, for the fourth time in the same year,” Kruger said in a statement.
“The responsibility for this failure rests squarely with the BC government. Delta residents deserve dependable, 24/7 emergency services. The Province has known about these staffing and capacity issues for years, yet here we are again. Another night, another closure,” he added.
According to Fraser Health, physician staffing challenges were cited as the reason for the closure.
Fraser Health referred to it as a “temporary service interruption,” which lasted from Saturday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m., until Sunday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 a.m.
“During the service interruption, emergency-trained nurses will continue to be on site and available to support walk-in patients needing basic care, assist with re-direction of care, and/or transfer patients with urgent needs to a neighbouring hospital,” Fraser Health said.
“Anyone with a life-threatening emergency, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing or severe bleeding, should call 911 immediately and will be transported to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” it added.
Fraser Health stated that it recognizes the importance of “consistent access” to emergency care and that it’s working to address staffing gaps. Fraser Health also issued an advisory on Facebook, which has led to some comments from the public, including a couple of people who called the news “unacceptable.”
Another comment rhetorically asks, “Is this our new normal?”
At a City of Delta meeting tonight, Kruger will be asking council to declare a public health emergency.
Four ER closures in a year. No urgent care centre. Thousands without a family doctor.
Tonight I’m calling on Delta Council to declare a Public Health Emergency. The province needs to wake up – our healthcare system is in crisis. pic.twitter.com/72DuNgX8nz
— Dylan Kruger (@dylankrugerbc) October 6, 2025
In response to our request for comment, Josie Osborne, BC Minister of Health, said, “The closure of the Delta Hospital emergency department is deeply concerning, and I understand the frustration felt by residents and local leaders.”
She added, “I met with Delta Council in their chambers earlier this summer and have offered to meet again this week. I also spoke directly with Mayor Harvie and the CEO of Fraser Health on Saturday to discuss the situation and the path forward.”
Osborne said the ministry is working with Fraser Health to figure out long-term solutions to “stabilize emergency services.”
“People in Delta and throughout B.C. deserve timely, reliable health care.”