North Island Hospital Comox Valley, located at 101 Lerwick Road in Courtenay, BC, is a 153-bed acute care hospital serving the Comox Valley and surrounding communities including Comox, Cumberland, Denman Island, Hornby Island, and Union Bay. The Emergency Department operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is three times larger than the original facility it replaced, offering comprehensive emergency and critical care services. As a UBC-affiliated teaching hospital opened in 2017, it provides a high level of specialist support including intensive care, surgical services, and integrated mental health, Indigenous health, and forensic nursing programs.
Services & Specialties
24/7 Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Surgical services across six operating rooms, Medical Imaging and diagnostics, Cardio-pulmonary diagnostic services, Laboratory and pharmacy services, Psychiatry inpatient unit (11 beds), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU, 4 beds), Cancer Care Program, Orthopedic and hip and knee clinic, Bone and joint clinic, Forensic nursing (daily 8am–10pm via ER, no referral needed), Diabetes education, Kidney clinic, Rheumatology and haematology clinics, Palliative pain management, Rehabilitation services (occupational therapy and physiotherapy), Ophthalmology clinic, Medical daycare and minor day procedures, Social work and Indigenous Health services, Outpatient lab services.
Amenities
Free Wi-Fi — connect to 'IslandHealthGuestWiFi'
Café on the main floor
On-site pharmacy
The Gathering Place — non-denominational spiritual room supporting all faiths and cultures, including space for drumming and smudging
Healing gardens for patients, visitors, and staff
Traditional medicine gardens featuring plants used by Indigenous healers
Wellness Centre for outpatient and chronic disease management services
Patients are triaged by urgency using the CTAS system — more serious conditions are treated first regardless of arrival order, so be prepared to wait if your condition is non-urgent.
Forensic nursing services are available directly through the Emergency Department daily from 8am to 10pm — no referral or appointment is needed, and services are free and confidential.
Free parking is available on-site with no time limit, so you won't need to worry about feeding a meter during a longer visit.
If you are travelling from Denman or Hornby Island, plan around BC Ferries schedules and consider calling 250-331-5900 ahead of time for guidance on urgent situations.
Take advantage of the healing gardens and The Gathering Place spiritual room if you or a family member need a calming space during a long wait or difficult visit.
BC Transit routes connect directly to the hospital — check current schedules on the BC Transit website before travelling, especially for evening or weekend visits.
What to Bring
BC Services Card or provincial health card
Government-issued photo ID
List of current medications and dosages
Any relevant medical history documents or specialist letters
Provincial health number and any supplemental insurance information
Phone charger or portable battery pack for long waits
Snacks, water, and a change of clothes for extended visits
A support person or contact information for a family member or friend
Parking
Free parking is available on-site at the Comox Valley campus with over 700 stalls across a parkade and surface lots. The facility includes at least 24 accessible/disabled parking stalls, 10 main-door drop-off spaces, 2 HandyDART parking spaces, and 80 bicycle spaces. There is no charge for parking.
Getting There
The nearest BC Transit stop is Lerwick Rd at Waters Pl, approximately a 4-minute walk from the hospital. Routes 1, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 serve the hospital. The NIC/Aquatic Centre Bay B transit hub is about 266 metres away (a 5-minute walk). HandyDART accessible transit is accommodated on-site with dedicated parking stalls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What communities does the North Island Hospital Comox Valley Emergency Department serve?
The hospital serves a wide catchment area including Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, Bowser, Denman Island, Hornby Island, Royston, Fanny Bay, and Union Bay. It is the primary acute care facility for the Comox Valley region.
Is forensic nursing available at North Island Hospital Comox Valley?
Yes. Forensic nursing services are available through the Emergency Department daily from 8am to 10pm. The service is free, confidential, and open to individuals of all ages and genders who have experienced domestic, interpersonal, or sexual violence within the last seven days. No referral or appointment is required.
Is there parking at North Island Hospital Comox Valley, and does it cost anything?
Parking is free at the Comox Valley campus. There are more than 700 stalls available across a parkade and surface lots, including 24 accessible stalls, drop-off spaces, and HandyDART parking. There is no charge for parking at any time.
What level of care does the North Island Hospital Comox Valley Emergency Department provide?
The ED provides comprehensive emergency and acute care 24/7, supported by on-site intensive care, surgical suites, medical imaging, laboratory, pharmacy, cardio-pulmonary diagnostics, and specialist clinics. As a UBC-affiliated teaching hospital, it also benefits from academic medical support.
Does North Island Hospital Comox Valley have Indigenous health support services?
Yes. The hospital offers integrated Indigenous Health services including Indigenous liaison nurses, a non-denominational spiritual room called The Gathering Place (which accommodates smudging and drumming), and traditional medicine gardens on campus. These services reflect the hospital's commitment to culturally safe care.
How do I get to North Island Hospital Comox Valley by public transit?
BC Transit routes 1, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 all serve the hospital. The closest stop is Lerwick Rd at Waters Pl, about a 4-minute walk away. The NIC/Aquatic Centre Bay B hub is approximately 266 metres from the hospital. HandyDART service is also accommodated with dedicated on-site parking.
Emergency departments use triage. Patients with more serious conditions are seen first, regardless of arrival time.
Wait times are estimates based on British Columbia health data. Actual wait times may vary.
We check our own accuracy. Forecasting two hours ahead, the ERstat estimate was typically off by 32 minutes against what hospitals themselves later posted, compared with 42 minutes for the hospital's own current figure, and was the closer of the two 59% of the time. See the full scorecard, or how we work the number out.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
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Incorrect hours, wrong address, or outdated information? Let us know.