Whistler Health Care Centre, operated by Vancouver Coastal Health, serves as the primary emergency and trauma facility for Whistler and the entire Sea-to-Sky Highway corridor. Despite its rural setting, the Centre functions at a high-level emergency and trauma department standard, equipped with 15 stretchers, a dedicated trauma bay, and state-of-the-art surgical equipment — making it the first stop for serious mountain sport injuries, ski accidents, and medical emergencies in the region. Residents, resort visitors, skiers, mountain bikers, and travellers along the corridor all rely on this facility for urgent and emergency care.
Services & Specialties
Emergency and trauma care (24/7), Urgent care (8 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily), Trauma bay with state-of-the-art surgical boom equipment, Diagnostic imaging, Laboratory services (Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.), Mental health and substance use outpatient counselling, Social work and short-term counselling (referral required), Child health clinic (immunizations, growth and development), Youth drop-in clinic (confidential, no appointment needed), Sexual health clinic (STI testing, PrEP, emergency contraception), Harm reduction and needle exchange services, Take Home Naloxone Kits (Narcan), Infant and child hearing screening, Routine and seasonal immunizations, Public health nursing, Audiology and speech & language pathology, Continuing care and community health programs.
Amenities
Whistler 360 Health Clinic (co-located on the second floor of the same building)
For non-life-threatening concerns, call (604) 932-4911 before visiting to speak with staff about the best time to come in and what to expect on arrival.
Urgent care is available 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily — for minor injuries or illnesses during these hours, this may result in a shorter wait than the full emergency department.
Parking on-site is limited and reserved for emergency patients — if you are dropping someone off, use the designated 15-minute drop-off stalls near the entrance.
Whistler is a high-volume resort destination; expect the ER to be busiest during peak ski season (December–March) and summer mountain biking season (July–September), particularly on weekends.
Patients needing specialist or inpatient care beyond what the Centre offers may be transferred to hospitals in Squamish or Vancouver — bring provincial health card (BC Services Card) and any relevant medical history to support a smooth transfer if needed.
What to Bring
BC Services Card (provincial health card) or out-of-province health insurance information
Government-issued photo ID
List of current medications and dosages
Any relevant medical history or previous test results
Emergency contact information
Payment method for parking
Warm clothing or layers (mountain weather can change quickly if you are being transported or waiting)
Snacks and water for potentially longer waits during peak resort season
Parking
On-site parking at Whistler Health Care Centre is reserved for emergency department patients and is paid parking. Three stalls near the entrance are designated drop-off only with a 15-minute maximum stay. Overflow parking is available in the main Day Skier Lots (Lot 4) or Marketplace, both of which are pay parking. Additional paid parking is located in the Whistler day lots across the street, on the corner of Lorimer Road and Blackcomb Way.
Getting There
Whistler is served by BC Transit in partnership with the Resort Municipality of Whistler, operated by Whistler Transit Ltd. Buses run daily from 5:20 a.m. to 3 a.m. The facility is located on Lorimer Road, which is accessible via the local transit network. Visit bctransit.com/whistler for current routes and stop information near the Health Care Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Whistler Health Care Centre open 24 hours for emergencies?
Yes, the emergency department at Whistler Health Care Centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. After-hours on-call physicians and registered nurses are always available. Urgent care operates from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for less critical concerns.
Can Whistler Health Care Centre treat serious ski or mountain bike injuries?
Yes. Despite being classified as a rural facility, Whistler Health Care Centre functions as a high-level emergency and trauma department. It features a dedicated trauma bay with state-of-the-art surgical boom equipment and 15 emergency stretchers. It is the primary first-response facility for serious mountain sport injuries along the Sea-to-Sky corridor. Cases requiring higher-level specialist care may be transferred to Squamish or Vancouver.
Does Whistler Health Care Centre offer mental health services?
Yes. The Centre offers outpatient mental health and substance use counselling for individuals and groups. The Whistler Mental Health & Substance Use Services clinic, located inside the building, supports Whistler residents aged 25 and older. Social work services providing short-term counselling (up to 6 sessions) are also available with a referral, for patients with mild to moderate mental health or psychosocial concerns.
Is there parking available at Whistler Health Care Centre?
On-site paid parking is available and is reserved for emergency department patients. Three stalls near the entrance allow drop-off only with a 15-minute maximum. Overflow parking is available in the Day Skier Lots (Lot 4), Marketplace, or the paid day lots across the street at the corner of Lorimer Road and Blackcomb Way.
Does Whistler Health Care Centre offer services for tourists and out-of-province visitors?
Yes. The Centre provides emergency and urgent care to both Whistler residents and visitors, including tourists travelling the Sea-to-Sky Highway. Out-of-province visitors should bring their home province's health card or private travel insurance information, as coverage and billing processes vary for non-BC residents.
Are there youth or sexual health services available at Whistler Health Care Centre?
Yes. The Centre offers a confidential youth drop-in clinic with no appointment required, open to all genders and 2SLGBTIA+ youth. A sexual health clinic provides STI testing and treatment, emergency contraception, birth control, HIV PrEP, pregnancy options counselling, and harm reduction services. Free Take Home Naloxone Kits (Narcan) are also available at the facility.
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 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.
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