St. Joseph's Hospital

Best Times to Visit

Quieter times: No historical wait time data is available for this location. Generally, early weekday mornings (before 10 a.m.) tend to be quieter at most hospital emergency departments. If your situation is not life-threatening, visiting during these windows may result in shorter waits.

Busier times: Emergency departments across Canada — including smaller regional hospitals like St. Joseph's — tend to be busiest on evenings, weekends, and holidays when walk-in clinics and family doctors are unavailable. If possible, avoid arriving between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.

About St. Joseph's Hospital

St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan, Saskatchewan operates a 24/7 emergency department serving over 21,000 patients annually, making it one of the most active and complex health care facilities in Southern Saskatchewan. As the only designated Stroke Centre in Southeast Saskatchewan, it functions as a regional referral hub for stroke care, dialysis, surgical services, and obstetrics. Residents of Estevan and the broader Southeast Saskatchewan region rely on this ER for everything from urgent trauma care to time-sensitive neurological emergencies.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, Stroke Centre (only one in Southeast Saskatchewan), CT Scanning, Surgical Services and Operating Room, Obstetrics and Labour & Delivery, 12-Bed Dialysis Centre, Endoscopy, Laboratory and Diagnostics, Pharmacy, Telehealth Services, Addictions Recovery, Day Hospital and Outpatient Services, Long-Term Care (38 beds), Acute Care (43 beds).

Amenities

• On-site pharmacy
• Free parking with plug-in electrical outlets for cold weather
• Telehealth services
• Contact the hospital at (306) 637-2400 to confirm cafeteria hours, ATM, chapel, and Wi-Fi availability

Other Care Options

Not every health issue needs an ER visit. Find out where to go for care →

Pharmacists in Saskatchewan can assess and prescribe for dozens of common conditions. See what they can treat →

Compare hospital wait times across Canada. View all wait times →

Tips Before You Go

• St. Joseph's is the only Stroke Centre in Southeast Saskatchewan — if you or someone nearby shows stroke symptoms (face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty), call 911 and come here immediately.
• The ER sees over 21,000 visits per year. To reduce your wait, consider whether your condition could be addressed at a walk-in clinic in Estevan for non-urgent issues.
• Patients are seen by urgency, not order of arrival. If your condition worsens while you are waiting, notify the triage nurse right away so your priority can be reassessed.
• Bring a warm layer or blanket — Saskatchewan winters are extreme and waiting areas can feel cool, especially if you arrive after being outdoors.
• No appointments can be made in the emergency department. Plan for a potential wait, especially during evenings and weekends when primary care offices are closed.

What to Bring

• Government-issued photo ID (e.g., Saskatchewan Health Card)
• List of current medications including dosages
• List of known allergies
• Insurance or supplemental health benefit information
• Emergency contact name and phone number
• Snacks and water for potentially long waits
• Phone charger or portable battery pack
• Comfortable clothing or a warm layer for the waiting area

Parking

Parking at St. Joseph's Hospital is free with ample spaces available. During cold Saskatchewan winters, electrical plug-ins are available for block heaters — helpful when temperatures drop to -30°C or below.

Getting There

Estevan does not have extensive public transit service. Patients are advised to arrange private transportation or contact the City of Estevan for any available local transit options.

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 Saskatchewan health data. Actual wait times may vary.

This hospital does not publish a live wait, so the figure above comes from our model rather than from its own feed. We publish how that model performs where it can be checked, at the hospitals that do publish. See the accuracy scorecard, or how we work the number out.

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