LETTER: Surrey hospital wait times must be addressed
Published 9:00 am Monday, August 3, 2026
Editor,
We are writing to express our concern about the long emergency department wait times at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
As Surrey continues to grow rapidly, the demand for health care has increased, yet many patients still face hours of waiting before receiving treatment. This issue deserves greater public attention because it affects the health and well-being of our community.
While emergency departments must prioritize the most critical cases, prolonged wait times can worsen medical conditions, increase stress for patients and their families, and place additional pressure on health-care workers who are already doing their best in a demanding environment.
These delays are not the fault of doctors, nurses, or support staff. Instead they reflect broader challenges such as staffing shortages, limited hospital capacity, and a growing population that has outpaced health-care resources.
Improving wait times will require meaningful investment in health-care infrastructure, stronger recruitment and retention of health-care professionals, and expanded access to primary and urgent care services to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits. Surrey residents deserve timely, accessible health care.
We hope this issue remains a priority for decision-makers so that meaningful improvements can be made for both patients and health-care workers.
Simranjot Kaur, Angel Bains, Harleen Dhindsa,
Surrey