Lillooet ER to temporarily close for another 37 hours; 15th closure so far in 2025

LILLOOET, B.C. — Lillooet and area residents will be without emergency room coverage for another 37 hours this weekend.

Interior Health said the ER at the Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre will be closed between 7:00 p.m. Saturday (April 12) and 8:00 a.m. Monday (April 14). A reason for the closure was not provided in a statement Saturday.

People in the Lillooet area are once again being told to make the two hour trip to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops if they need emergency care while their ER is closed.

The Lillooet ER reopened at 8:00 a.m. this morning and was only available for 11 hours after the most recent 37 hour closure that began Thursday (April 10) night ended. The facility has so far been closed for 444 hours this year, 419 of which have come since March 10.

Lillooet and area residents are on track to be without emergency room coverage for 481 hours – or 20 days and one hour – this year, if the ER reopens as scheduled on Monday.

April 14 the 104th day of the year, meaning residents will have been without service for almost 20 per cent of the calendar year so far.

As has been the case during past emergency room closures across numerous communities, Interior Health said people should call 9-1-1 if they need emergency care, or HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 if they aren’t sure if they need to head to the emergency room.