CENTRE DE SANTÉ DE CHIBOUGAMAU

Best Times to Visit

About CENTRE DE SANTÉ DE CHIBOUGAMAU

Centre de Santé de Chibougamau is the primary acute-care facility serving Chibougamau and the vast Jamésie region of northern Quebec, covering a territory of approximately 350,000 km². Operating under the CRSSS de la Baie-James — Quebec's first fully integrated health and social services establishment — this hospital provides a broad range of specialized services including obstetrics, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, and diagnostic imaging 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Residents of Chibougamau and surrounding remote communities rely on this facility as their main access point for emergency and specialized care, with highly complex cases typically transferred to larger urban centres such as Québec City.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, Obstetrics and hospital delivery, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Gynecology, Orthopedics, Surgery and minor surgery, ECG (electrocardiogram), Diagnostic radiology and fluoroscopy, CT scan and tomography, Mammography, Detoxification services, Smoking cessation program, Contraception and emergency oral contraception, Designated centre for sexual assault victims (specialized services), Social adaptation supports, Home prescription collection, New injection material distribution (free of charge), On-site interpreter services.

Amenities

• On-site interpreter services
• French-language services throughout

Other Care Options

Not every health issue needs an ER visit. Find out where to go for care →

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Tips Before You Go

• For advanced cardiac care, Level I/II trauma, or other highly specialized procedures, be prepared for possible transfer to a larger centre such as Québec City — plan accordingly if your condition may require it.
• All services at this facility are offered in French; if you require communication assistance, interpreter services are available on site — inform staff upon arrival.
• The emergency department's stretcher occupancy is publicly tracked through Quebec's provincial ER monitoring portal, which can help you gauge current capacity before heading in.
• If you use drugs and require new injection materials, this service is available free of charge at the facility without needing to visit the emergency department.

What to Bring

• Quebec health insurance card (RAMQ card)
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications, dosages, and allergies
• Any relevant medical records, test results, or referral letters
• Provincial or private insurance information
• Personal comfort items (water bottle, snacks, phone charger) in case of a longer wait
• Warm clothing, as Chibougamau's climate can be very cold, especially when waiting or transferring
• Emergency contact information for a family member or caregiver

Parking

Specific parking lot details for Centre de Santé de Chibougamau are not publicly documented. The facility is located on 3e Rue in central Chibougamau, with curb ramps installed at the intersection of 3e Rue and 2e Rue to improve pedestrian and accessibility access to the main entrance. Contact the facility directly at 418-748-6435 for current parking information.

Getting There

No formal public transit routes serve this facility directly. A dedicated two-way cycling path (242 m long, 3 m wide), separated from roadway traffic and equipped with lighting, runs alongside 3rd Street near the hospital, making active transportation a safe option. As Chibougamau is a remote northern community, most patients arrive by personal vehicle or taxi.

Frequently Asked Questions

About ER Wait Times

Emergency departments use triage. Patients with more serious conditions are seen first, regardless of arrival time.

Wait times are ERstat’s estimates, built from what hospitals publish, or from our model where a hospital publishes no wait. They are not the hospital’s own figures. Actual waits may vary.

We check our accuracy every night against what hospitals later post. Forecasting two hours ahead, our estimate is typically off by 32 minutes. See the accuracy scorecard, or how we work the number out.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.