Sault Area Hospital's Emergency Department in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, serving approximately 45,000 to 50,000 patients annually across the Algoma District. As the regional hospital for a catchment area of roughly 115,000 residents, SAH offers a full spectrum of emergency and critical care, including an ICU, interventional cardiology, and trauma services. Patients are triaged using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), ensuring the most critical cases are seen first regardless of arrival order.
Services & Specialties
24/7 Emergency Department, Fast Track Clinic (9:00 am – 9:00 pm daily), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Interventional Cardiology, Emergency and Critical Care, General Surgery, Obstetrics, Maternity, and Pediatrics, Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Services, Complex Continuing Care, Rehabilitation Services, Algoma Regional Renal Program, Algoma District Cancer Program (including satellite radiation treatment), French Language Services, Wheelchair Accessible Emergency Care.
Amenities
Virtual Home Waiting Room (VHWR) available 9:00 am – 9:00 pm daily
Wheelchair accessible throughout
French language services available
Ontario Northland intercity bus stop on-site
On-site paid parking with multiple payment options
Use the Virtual Home Waiting Room (VHWR) if your complaint is non-urgent and eligible — it lets you wait from home or another location of your choice between 9 am and 9 pm daily.
Bring your Ontario Health Card (OHIP card) — most services are OHIP-covered and your card is required for most visits.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call SAH's dedicated mental health crisis line at (705) 759-3398 before heading to the ED.
Remember that the ED does not operate on a first-come, first-served basis — patients triaged as most critical are seen first, so wait times can shift quickly.
Check the online ED wait time tracker before you leave home — wait times are updated every five minutes on the SAH website at sah.on.ca.
What to Bring
Ontario Health Card (OHIP card)
Government-issued photo ID
List of current medications and dosages
Any relevant medical history documents or test results
Provincial drug benefit card or private insurance information
Emergency contact name and phone number
Comfortable clothing or a change of clothes for longer waits
Phone charger or portable battery pack
Parking
Paid parking is available on-site at Sault Area Hospital. A 24-hour pass costs $11.50 and allows multiple exits. A 5-Days Per-Year Pass is $28.00 and does not need to be used on consecutive days. Pay-on-foot machines at each public entrance accept cash, debit, or credit. Exit gates accept debit or credit tap. Accessible parking spaces are available by permit only and are actively monitored.
Getting There
Sault Ste. Marie Transit Route 5 terminates directly at the SAH Main Entrance and runs daily. Route 7 (Steelton/Second Line) stops at the rear of the hospital. Route 2 travels along Great Northern Road, the hospital's street. All routes connect through the Downtown Transit Terminal at Queen and Dennis Streets. Ontario Northland intercity buses also stop at SAH, with connections to Sudbury, North Bay, and Toronto.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fast Track Clinic at Sault Area Hospital and who can use it?
The Fast Track Clinic operates daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm within the Emergency Department at SAH. It is designed for patients with lower-acuity, non-life-threatening complaints — such as minor injuries, infections, or other less urgent issues — and helps reduce wait times for those patients while keeping the main ED available for critical cases.
What is the Virtual Home Waiting Room (VHWR) at SAH?
The Virtual Home Waiting Room is an online service available from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm daily that allows patients with eligible non-urgent medical complaints to wait from home or another location of their choice, rather than sitting in the hospital waiting room. You can monitor your place in the queue remotely and come in when it's closer to your turn. Check sah.on.ca for eligibility and access.
Does Sault Area Hospital have a mental health crisis service?
Yes. SAH has a Mental Health and Addictions program, and a dedicated mental health crisis line is available at (705) 759-3398. If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call this number directly. For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911 or go to the Emergency Department.
How does triage work at Sault Area Hospital's Emergency Department?
When you arrive at the SAH Emergency Department, a triage nurse will assess your condition using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), a standardized national system. The ED does not operate on a first-come, first-served basis — patients with the most critical conditions are always seen first, whether they arrive by ambulance or walk in.
What does parking cost at Sault Area Hospital?
A 24-hour parking pass costs $11.50 and allows multiple exits throughout the day. A 5-Days Per-Year Pass is available for $28.00. Payment is accepted at pay-on-foot machines near each public entrance (cash, debit, or credit) and at exit gates (debit or credit tap). Accessible spaces are available with a valid accessible parking permit.
What is the phone number for Sault Area Hospital's Emergency Department?
The main hospital number is (705) 759-3434. The direct extension for the Emergency Department is 5420. For mental health crises, a dedicated line is available at (705) 759-3398.
Emergency departments use triage. Patients with more serious conditions are seen first, regardless of arrival time.
Wait times are estimates based on Ontario 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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