HN Summary:
• Southlake’s ED was originally built in 2003 to handle just over 80,000 visits a year. Today, it sees more than 120,000 visits annually, meaning a new patient arrives approximately every four and a half minutes.
• As of September 2025, the average wait time for an initial assessment by a doctor at Southlake Health is approximately 42 minutes. This is one of the shortest wait-times in Ontario, significantly below the provincial average of two hours.
• To better meet the growing demand for emergency care, Southlake Health completed a major renewal and expansion of its Emergency Department, adding over 2,400 square feet of space and several enhancements to improve the patient experience and support staff and medical staff. This renewal and expansion was made possible with philanthropic support from caring organizations and community donors.
Imagine arriving at the Emergency Department (ED) and knowing what to expect. Southlake Health is making that a reality with the launch of a new online ED wait-time clock, giving patients and families real-time estimates of how long it may take to be seen by a physician.
“In the Emergency Department, uncertainty can add to the stress patients and families are already experiencing,” said Gaurav Puri, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Southlake Health. “By sharing real wait-time information, we’re giving people more clarity and reassurance during a difficult moment. It’s another way we’re putting patients first and making sure they feel informed, supported, and confident in the care they receive at Southlake.”
Southlake’s ED sees more than 120,000 visits annually, meaning a new patient arrives approximately every four and a half minutes. This number is expected to grow as the hospital serves some of the fastest growing and aging communities in the Ontario.
The ED wait-time clock eases the stress of an ED visit by supporting transparency, reducing uncertainty, and empowering patients with timely information. Patients can access it on Southlake’s website before or during their visit to see up-to-date information on the estimated time to it takes to see a physician for an initial assessment. While patients are always seen based on the urgency of their condition and not the order of arrival, this new feature highlights Southlake’s commitment to accountability and patient-centred care.
“Southlake’s Emergency Department is one of the busiest in Ontario, yet we continue to maintain one of the shortest wait times for initial assessment,” said Katrina Scott, Director of the Emergency Department at Southlake Health. “The wait-time clock builds on that strength by giving patients timely information they can trust and reducing uncertainty, so people can better prepare for their visit and know what to expect.”
In Ontario, patients can also receive care in several other settings in their communities. Patients who are not experiencing life-threatening or serious conditions can visit an urgent care centre, a walk-in clinic, or their primary care provider depending on their symptoms. Southlake’s ED is open 24/7 and is always here to support patients when needed, but it is best for life-threatening or serious conditions such as chest pain, stroke symptoms, difficulty breathing, severe trauma, and high fever in infants under three months old. Knowing where to go for care can help patients avoid long wait times and ensure the ED is available for those who need it most.
The ED wait-time clock can be accessed at: southlake.ca/emergency-department-wait-times.
