St. Martha's Regional Hospital

Best Times to Visit

About St. Martha's Regional

St. Martha's Regional Hospital is a 89-bed acute care facility located at 25 Bay Street in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, serving residents of Antigonish, Guysborough, Richmond, and Inverness Counties. As the only Catholic hospital in Nova Scotia and the regional hub for Eastern Zone Nova Scotia Health, its emergency department operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provides access to a broad range of primary and secondary care services. Patients requiring emergency care, diagnostic imaging, mental health support, or specialized nursing services will find this ER a well-equipped entry point into the regional health system.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, CT scan, MRI, X-ray, and ultrasound (diagnostic imaging), Inpatient mental health services, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, Opioid Recovery Program (methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone), Geriatric Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit (GARU), Ambulatory dialysis, Pediatric inpatient care, Midwifery care (Antigonish, Guysborough, Richmond, and Inverness Counties), Chronic Pain Service / Persistent Pain Groups, Palliative care and hospice support, Inpatient and outreach mental health services, Blood collection services, Diabetes care and education, Music therapy and bereavement support.

Amenities

• Free WiFi for patients and families in all inpatient areas
• ATM (bank machine) in the main lobby on level one
• Chapel on level three (open 24/7)
• Two quiet rooms available 24/7
• Solarium available for patients and visitors
• Place of Peace Garden (outdoor quiet space)
• Spiritual and Religious Care Department (24/7 support via switchboard)
• Family suite for overnight stays when a loved one is critically ill
• Free interpretation services available

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• The Emergency Department has its own entrance off Bay Street near the ambulance bay — look for signs from the street. After 11 p.m., use the main hospital entrance instead.
• If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and do not need emergency medical care, consider calling the 24/7 mental health mobile crisis line at 1-888-429-8167 before heading to the ER.
• St. Martha's serves a large rural region including Guysborough, Richmond, and Inverness Counties — if you are travelling from a distance, call the administrative switchboard at 902-867-4500 to ask about wait times or services before departing.
• Free parking is available in the main front lot. Patient and visitor spaces are prioritized there, so you should find accessible parking close to the entrance.
• Bring your Nova Scotia Health Card (CCP card) and any current medication lists. If you are a new patient or require interpretation services, let the registration desk know — free language interpretation is available.

What to Bring

• Nova Scotia Health Card or provincial health insurance card
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications, dosages, and allergies
• Any relevant medical records or referral documents
• Insurance information (if applicable for out-of-province visitors)
• Comfortable clothing and a warm layer (ERs can be cool)
• Phone charger or portable battery
• Snacks and water for potentially long waits

Parking

Parking at St. Martha's Regional Hospital is free for patients and visitors, following the provincial elimination of hospital parking fees effective May 1. Dedicated patient and visitor spaces are available in the main front parking lot. Change machines are located in the hospital lobby and the Martha Centre. Parking meters are present at the front of the hospital.

Getting There

No public transit routes directly serve St. Martha's Regional Hospital. Antigonish is a small town and patients without a vehicle may wish to contact the hospital switchboard at 902-867-4500 for guidance. Enterprise Rental on Main Street is a nearby vehicle rental option.

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 estimates based on Nova Scotia 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.