Hôpital Ste-Anne Hospital in Ste. Anne, Manitoba remains temporarily closed after its air cooling system broke down during a heat wave, with services not expected to resume until next week.
The closure started July 13, 2026, when a freon leak in the cooling system caused temperatures inside the hospital to become unsafe. At the time, outside temperatures were hitting the high 30s Celsius. Twenty-one patients were moved to Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach and Boundary Trails Health Centre.
Dana Human, Interim CEO of Southern Health-Santé Sud, said repairs are about halfway done as of July 15. Crews are working around the clock, but all services including the emergency room, inpatient beds, and diagnostic tests remain shut down until safety checks are finished.
“We are about halfway there, from the last reports that I received,” Human said on July 15. Officials say the hospital could fully reopen sometime next week if the repair work stays on track.
Mayor Yvan St. Vincent thanked first responders and volunteers who helped with the evacuation. He singled out the Ste. Anne Police Service Auxiliary members and local firefighters, saying they “responded immediately without hesitation to support healthcare teams and participate in evacuation efforts.” St. Vincent also acknowledged Dr. Aly Dhala, the health authority’s vice president of medical services and chief medical officer, for being in constant contact throughout the closure.
The hospital has faced growing demand, often running over its 21-bed capacity. In March 2026, the province created a Ste. Anne Hospital Working Group to look at expanding services and possibly giving the facility a regional designation. The current closure adds to those ongoing capacity challenges.
Residents can check the Southern Health-Santé Sud website for updates on when services will resume.
