The Pembroke Regional Hospital emergency department had fewer doctors on hand Monday, May 25, which could mean longer wait times for people needing care. The hospital shared the update on social media, letting residents know that while the ER remains open for urgent needs, patients might face delays because of reduced physician coverage.
This is not the first time the hospital has dealt with staffing shortages. Similar warnings have been posted several times over the past year, including earlier in May, April, and March 2026. The pattern points to a wider problem facing rural hospitals in Ontario, where a lack of doctors and nurses can lead to temporary closures and backed-up emergency rooms.
According to the Ontario Medical Association, more than 2.5 million people in the province are without a family physician, and that number could rise to 4.4 million by 2026. In Renfrew County, the situation is even tougher – about 20 percent of residents don’t have a regular primary care provider, nearly double the provincial average.
To ease the pressure, the hospital encourages people with non-emergency issues to contact the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre at 1-844-727-6404 or visit their family doctor if they have one. The Ontario government has also put $3.3 million into the Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke area as part of a $2.1 billion plan to connect up to 9,575 people to primary care. Meanwhile, the hospital has tried new approaches like adding more nursing support and using advance care paramedics in the ER to help during busy times.
The Pembroke Regional Hospital at 705 Mackay Street serves about 55,000 people in the city, Petawawa, and nearby communities. Anyone with a medical emergency should still go to the ER or call 911, said officials.
