Mission hospital emergency room closing overnight Friday

Mission Memorial Hospital’s emergency department will close overnight Friday due to a shortage of available doctors, with plans to reopen Saturday at 8 a. m. Fraser Health confirmed the service interruption will begin at 5 p. m. to ensure patients already in the emergency department can receive care before the end of physician shifts.

During this time, emergency-trained nurses will be on-site to assist walk-in patients and redirect those needing urgent care to nearby facilities. This closure is particularly concerning as it coincides with Halloween, a night that typically sees a rise in emergency calls. Nicki Ropp, director of mental health and wellness with Ambulance Paramedics, noted that ambulance services will redirect patients to Abbotsford Regional Hospital or Ridge Meadows Hospital. The emergency department previously faced similar closures in February, March, and August of this year. Earlier, an $18-million renovation was announced for the emergency department, expected to begin in early 2026.

This renovation aims to expand care spaces by 35 percent, increasing the total from 24 to 41.