Tumbler Ridge calls for more ‘clear public engagement’ after on-call ER cuts

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — The District of Tumbler Ridge is calling for clearer public engagement and greater transparency from Northern Health regarding emergency department services in the community.

In September 2025, the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre’s on-call emergency room services were significantly reduced due to a doctor shortage.

The modified schedule limited on-call hours to 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, effectively closing the department on evenings, overnight and at weekends.

As a result, patients requiring after-hours emergency care are now transported by ambulance to Dawson Creek or the nearest available facility.

In a press release on January 23rd, the district said residents have had limited opportunities to ask questions publicly about the changes and raised concerns about patient safety.

In response, Northern Health told Energeticcity.ca it takes the district’s concerns “very seriously,” says all decision-making has been “guided by discussions with clinical experts” and government leaders, and it is working with the “primary care network, physicians and specialists and other care providers to build a sustainable service model.”

Northern Health insisted it “remains committed” to updating the residents of Tumbler Ridge.

It said “all the potential solutions” raised by the District of Tumbler Ridge and local physician Dr. Charles Helm have been considered.

The district’s decision to voice its concerns follows communications from Northern Health in December, including a ‘Tumbler Ridge Health Services Community Update’ on December 9th and a subsequent written response provided to the district’s council after a December 8th meeting with the Northern Health board of directors.

In the press release, Tumbler Ridge said it has been actively pursuing multiple efforts to support the reopening of after-hours and weekend emergency department services. 

According to the release, those efforts have included meetings and phone calls with the minister of health, Northern Health, the Rural Coordination Centre of B.C., BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), engagement with other municipalities and exploration of alternative service options.

Options examined by the district include the use of virtual emergency room services, temporary medical facilities, reallocating return-for-service physicians within the Peace region, and municipal-operated medical clinics. 

The district further raised concerns about patient safety, stating that reliance on BCEHS does not account for travel distances to other facilities, which can exceed the “golden hour” for emergency care even in optimal road conditions.

This follows an incident earlier this month where an ambulance transporting a patient from Tumbler Ridge went off the road near the town, and an incident in September where a patient died while en route to Dawson Creek and District Hospital.

While acknowledging that healthcare staffing challenges are being felt across the province and country, the district said the impacts are particularly significant in small and remote communities like Tumbler Ridge.

In its statement to Energeticcity.ca, Northern Health said: “Northern Health is committed to stable, sustainable and safe service in Tumbler Ridge. Under the current circumstances, the introduction of additional BCEHS ambulance services to provide more urgent access to care at hospitals with specialists, diagnostics support and in-patient care is better, safer and consistent support for emergency response.

“The detailed rationale for this decision has been communicated to the District of Tumbler Ridge and Tumbler Ridge residents.”

Northern Health said it will respond directly to Helm about an open letter he recently penned about the situation, and said it has developed a working group to “firm up” a future service model at the health centre – “if agreeable terms can be reached with the district of Tumbler Ridge.”