Canada's psychiatric patients face lengthy ER waits for hospital beds

Across several provinces, psychiatric patients are waiting far longer in emergency departments than other patients for an inpatient bed. In Alberta, one patient spent 16 days in the ER before admission, and in British Columbia another waited just over nine days. On average, Alberta patients waited more than 33 hours, while Quebec patients waited 33 hours and 39 minutes – roughly 10 hours longer than the typical 24‑hour wait for a hospital admission.

Experts say the noisy, brightly lit emergency environment can worsen mental‑health crises, and extended waits may lead to longer overall hospital stays. Alberta Psychiatric Association President Dr. Karen Duncalf described the setting as “chaotic and not therapeutic.” Patients may be placed in seclusion rooms with padded walls and limited light, a practice recalled as traumatizing by a former Vancouver patient. The trend reflects a growing demand that outpaces funding across Canada’s mental‑health system.