‘Causing concern’: Hudson’s Hope mayor calls for full-time ambulance amid repeated health centre closures

HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — Hudson’s Hope’s mayor has called for a full-time ambulance station in the community in the face of repeated closures at its health centre.

The health centre has been closed a total of 14 working days since the end of February, from February 24th to 27th and on March 6th, March 10th, March 13th, March 20th, March 23rd and March 27 to  April 2nd – all due to “staffing shortages,” according to Northern Health.     

Travous Quibell, mayor for the District of Hudson’s Hope, in a written statement to Energeticcity.ca, said: “We have been following the frequency and duration of the emergency service interruptions in our community closely and it is causing concern among community members.

“Hudson’s Hope relies on emergency service availability, as we are just under an hour away from our next nearest emergency department.” 

Quibell said the community is often forced to rely on BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS)  ambulances or transport themselves using other arrangements in a medical emergency. 

“Many of our community members are working families with children or seniors, complicating the matter of response time and transportation further,” he said. 

Paul Adams, executive director at British Columbia Rural Health Network (BCRHN), told Energeticcity.ca this is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed and tackled differently. 

He said: “We’ve been doing the same things over and over again. I think we have an opportunity to create new systems and change how we provide primary care in B.C.” 

Northern Health, in a written statement to Energeticcity.ca, said: “As with many small health centres with limited base staffing as well as limited backup/casual or locum staffing availability, Hudson’s Hope Health Centre is susceptible to service interruptions due to expected or unanticipated staff absences.” 

The health authority said this is not a new challenge in Hudson’s Hope.

It said: “Emergency services at small health centres are often dependent on one or two staff, and are subject to more frequent – often unscheduled – interruptions than hospitals. As a result, it was not possible to consistently and accurately inform communities via social media about service interruptions.” 

The health authority said it is making every effort to fill vacant shifts, including during service interruptions. 

“Vacant shifts may be filled on short notice and Northern Health publishes those interruptions as they occur,” it added. 

A Hudson’s Hope resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the closures have been happening for a long time. 

In July 2025, they recalled helping a man with bad septic shock. 

They said: “There was no doctor in and I was referred to Chetwynd [General Hospital]. So basically, we took him into Chetwynd and had it assessed, [and it was] really badly infected. 

“Then they had to drive for two weeks after that daily to go get an antibiotic drip.” 

Quibell said the district has “impressed” on Northern Health about the urgency of replacing physicians when they leave Hudson’s Hope. 

“We have also urged BCEHS, repeatedly, to consider making our ambulance station, the only remaining non-full-time station in the Peace region, a full-time station so that our residents do not have to worry whether an ambulance will be available in their time of need,” he added.

BCEHS, in a written statement to Energeticcity.ca, said its operational and dispatch staff are monitoring the impact of local clinical closures on emergency response in Hudson’s Hope. 

It said: “Hudson’s Hope ambulance station operates with a ‘mix shift’ model, meaning that coverage is provided by paramedics working in the station 16 hours a day and by paramedics working on call and carrying a pager for eight hours overnight when call volumes are typically lowest.”

It added that in 2025, BCEHS introduced the first ‘advanced care’ paramedic ambulance in northeastern B.C., based in Dawson Creek. 

These paramedics have additional training in treating medical and trauma patients, focusing on advanced cardiac resuscitation across the region including in the Hudson’s Hope area.

“Our residents would welcome statements from both Northern Health and BCEHS on the measures they are planning and committed to in order to ensure continuity of service in our community,” Quibell said. 

Northern Health said it is continuing to actively recruit physicians, nurses and other healthcare professions to northern B.C., including Hudson’s Hope. 

“Emergency department service interruptions are always a last resort, when all options to keep the ER open have failed,” it said. 

Quibell said the council is also continuing to be proactive in finding opportunities to support the attraction and retention of physicians and medical professionals in the community and the region. 

BCRHN’s Adams added that communities need to be in charge of governing their own local health resources. 

“They need to be able to adapt the model of care to meet the needs of their community, and we can’t do that just from a centralized position,” he said.

“That model is collaborative, with health providers working together in a team, and it is adaptable to each individual community. So unlike the health center in Hudson’s Hope, a community health center would be operated by the community through a non-profit organization.”