Foothills Medical Centre

Best Times to Visit

About Foothills Medical Centre

Foothills Medical Centre (FMC) in Calgary, Alberta is the largest hospital in the province and the primary tertiary referral centre for Southern Alberta, southeastern British Columbia, and parts of Saskatchewan, serving over two million people. Its 24/7 emergency department is one of the busiest in Alberta, handling everything from minor emergencies to the most complex trauma, stroke, cardiac, and critical care cases, with direct ambulance and air medevac intake for major regional incidents. Patients requiring advanced specialty care — including neurosurgery, organ transplant, burn treatment, or complex oncology — are routinely directed here.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, Level 1 Trauma Centre (largest in Southern Alberta), Stroke Centre (Accreditation Canada Stroke Services Distinction), Cardiac Sciences & Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Neurosurgery & Neurocritical Care, Organ & Tissue Transplant (kidney, pancreas, heart, lung, skin), Burn Program (critical care), Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), High Risk Labour & Delivery, Adult Intensive Care (Neuro, Trauma, Coronary, Cardiovascular), Air Medevac & Ambulance Transfer Reception, Grace Women's Health Centre, Robotic & Surgical Innovation, 57 Outpatient Clinics On-Site, Diagnostic Imaging & Laboratory Medicine, Interpreter & Translation Services.

Amenities

• Garden Deli cafeteria (food services for patients and visitors)
• Retail food outlets throughout the campus
• Pharmacy (main floor, Tom Baker Building)
• Café (main floor, Tom Baker Building)
• Gift shop (main floor, Tom Baker Building)
• RBC Royal Bank ATM on-site
• Family lounges
• Lost & Found (call 403-944-1110)
• Wayfinding signage and directory maps throughout facility

Other Care Options

Not every health issue needs an ER visit. Find out where to go for care → · 89 walk-in clinics in Calgary → · urgent care wait times →

Pharmacists in Alberta can assess and prescribe for dozens of common conditions. See what they can treat →

Compare hospital wait times across Canada. View all wait times →

Tips Before You Go

• Use the Emergency Entrance off 29th Street NW for all emergency visits — this is the fastest and most direct access point to the ED.
• FMC is a major tertiary referral centre, so the ED regularly receives complex, high-acuity patients from across Southern Alberta. Expect potentially longer waits if your condition is lower acuity, and consider a walk-in clinic for non-urgent concerns.
• Interpreter and translation services are available in the ED — inform triage staff immediately if you or your family member require language assistance.
• The campus is large and multi-building. Use the signage and directory maps throughout FMC to navigate, and allow extra time to find your destination, especially for first-time visitors.
• You can pay for parking via the AHS Parking app (Zone 6010) on your smartphone, which avoids the need for coins or credit card at a meter — download it before your visit if possible.
• For non-emergency outpatient appointments, use the West Entrance off 16 Avenue North to avoid congestion near the Emergency Entrance.

What to Bring

• Government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver's licence or passport)
• Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) card
• List of current medications, dosages, and allergies
• Provincial health coverage or private insurance information
• Emergency contact name and phone number
• Any relevant medical records, test results, or referral letters
• Personal comfort items for a potential wait (phone charger, water bottle, snacks)
• Payment method for parking (credit card, coins, or AHS Parking app)

Parking

On-site parking is available 24/7 across multiple lots. The Central Parking structure offers public stalls on the Main (M), P1, and P2 levels near elevator lobbies. The West Lot (Lot 10) has public stalls on levels 1 and 2. Accessible/disabled stalls are located on select levels throughout the structures. Payment is accepted via pay-by-plate meters (Canadian coins, Visa, Mastercard, or Amex) or through the AHS Parking app (Zone 6010, available on Android and iOS). Weekly passes are available at $42.00/week and monthly passes at $74.00/month (requires authorization from a nursing unit or social worker) — both available at the FMC Central Parking Office. Rates are subject to change; verify current rates with AHS before your visit. For emergency visits, use the Emergency Entrance off 29th Street NW. For non-emergency visits, the West Entrance off 16th Avenue North is recommended.

Getting There

Foothills Medical Centre is located in northwest Calgary near the University District, with access via major routes including 16 Avenue NW and Crowchild Trail. The campus is served by Calgary Transit bus routes along 29 St NW and Hospital Dr NW. Check the Calgary Transit trip planner at calgarytransit.com for current route numbers and schedules. The neighbouring Alberta Children's Hospital and University of Calgary are accessible from FMC via University Boulevard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Compare all Calgary ER wait times live, ranked shortest to longest →

About ER Wait Times

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

Wait times are estimates based on Alberta health data. Actual wait times may vary.

We check our own accuracy. Forecasting two hours ahead, the ERstat estimate was typically off by 33 minutes against what hospitals themselves later posted, compared with 41 minutes for the hospital's own current figure, and was the closer of the two 58% of the time. See the full scorecard, or how we work the number out.

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