CENTRE HOSPITALIER GATINEAU MEMORIAL

Best Times to Visit

Quieter times: No historical wait time data is available for this facility. Generally, small rural emergency departments tend to be less crowded on weekday mornings and early afternoons. If your condition is not urgent, consider calling ahead at 819-459-1112 for guidance.

Busier times: Like most emergency departments, evenings, weekends, and holidays typically see higher volumes. As a small 4-bay ER, capacity can be reached quickly — if you are experiencing a non-life-threatening issue, visiting during off-peak weekday hours may reduce your wait.

About CENTRE HOSPITALIER GATINEAU MEMORIAL

Centre Hospitalier Gatineau Memorial (Wakefield Memorial Hospital) is a small community hospital located at 101 Burnside Ave in Wakefield, QC, serving the rural La Pêche municipality and surrounding Outaouais communities approximately 35 km north of Gatineau. As part of the CISSS de l'Outaouais network, its 24/7 emergency department offers four stretcher bays and handles a broad range of urgent medical needs including general emergency care, mental health crises, and sexual assault response. Patients with complex, high-acuity conditions such as major trauma, cardiac events, or stroke may be stabilized here and transferred to larger network hospitals in Gatineau or Hull.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, General and specialized physical health care, Mental health care and outpatient mental health services, Biomedical analysis (laboratory services), Radiography (X-ray imaging), Outpatient care and services, Outpatient physiotherapy, Detoxification services, Sexual assault designated response centre (adults and children, 24/7), Aid to victims of criminal acts, Family medicine, Addiction prevention services (alcohol, drugs, medications), Harm reduction: free new injection equipment distribution and used syringe recovery, Long-term care (CHSLD) unit, Bilingual services (French and English).

Amenities

• Visiting hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Bilingual services (French and English)
• Contact hospital at 819-459-1112 to confirm cafeteria, ATM, pharmacy, or Wi-Fi availability

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• This is a small rural ER with only 4 stretcher bays — for life-threatening emergencies such as heart attack, stroke, or major trauma, call 911 so paramedics can determine the best receiving facility.
• English services are available, but some patients have noted variability in English communication at triage — if language is a concern, ask clearly for an English-speaking staff member.
• If you are travelling from the Gatineau Park area or rural communities north of Gatineau, this is your closest emergency department; plan your route in advance as the hospital is approximately 35 km from Gatineau.
• The hospital is a designated 24/7 sexual assault response centre for both adults and children — specialized confidential care is available at any hour.
• For non-emergency needs, ask about outpatient services including physiotherapy, mental health, and family medicine to avoid unnecessary ER visits.

What to Bring

• Provincial health insurance card (RAMQ card)
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications including dosages
• List of known allergies
• Any relevant medical records or recent test results
• Health insurance or benefits card (if applicable)
• Personal comfort items for potential wait times (water bottle, snack, phone charger)
• A support person or trusted contact's phone number

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 Quebec health data. Actual wait times may vary.

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