Make sure you are up to speed on when your family doctor is available.  

Your family doctor is your first stop for medical concerns and illnesses that are not urgent or life-threatening. Many practices offer weekend and evening clinics, 24-hour on-call services and/or virtual appointments.  

If you don’t have a family doctor, or your family doctor is not available, you can visit a walk-in clinic for non-urgent care needs. You can find information about local walk-in clinics here: Walk-In Medical Clinics - Hamilton - hnhbhealthline.ca  

Hamilton has two urgent care centres that offer care by emergency-trained doctors who can address a variety of health conditions requiring immediate medical attention but are not life-threatening, including but not limited to: minor cuts and wounds that may require stiches, simple broken bones, sprains, strains or deep bruises, ear infections, fevers, coughs, congestion, sore throats, insect bites, rashes and scrapes.  

Main Street West Urgent Care (Hamilton Health Sciences)  

690 Main Street West Hamilton  
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. every day  
  

Urgent Care, King Campus (St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton)  

2757 King Street East Hamilton  
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. every day  
  

Virtual urgent care appointments are available  

A virtual urgent care appointment may be right for you if you or a loved one have a medical issue that is NOT life threatening but requires urgent medical attention.  

Same-day virtual appointments with a nurse practitioner are available on a first-come, first serve basis. Virtual Urgent Care services are available for children and adults throughout Ontario. 

Click here for more information and to book an appointment.  

Connect with a registered nurse day or night to access safe and high-quality care and avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room. This service is an easy way to get connected to care for you or your loved ones.  

To speak with a registered nurse 24/7 visit Health811.Ontario.ca or call 8-1-1 (Toll free TTY line: 1-866-797-0007).  

There are four emergency departments in Hamilton (including the McMaster Children's Hospital for patients 17 and under). They treat patients experiencing any type of life-threatening emergency or trauma. Care is provided based on the severity of symptoms. This could include but not limited to: trouble breathing, bleeding that won’t stop, chest pain or pressure, major broken bones, partial or total amputation of a limb and traumas or injuries to the head, or severely ill or injured child.  

If you think your illness or injury is an emergency or may be life-threatening, please call 9-1-1 immediately.  

To check the wait times at Hamilton’s emergency departments, visit HamiltonEmergencyWaitTimes.ca. 

For timely support or care for a mental health concern, you have several options:  

• If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1  

• Call or text 9-8-8, is for anyone in Canada who is thinking about suicide, or who is worried about someone they know. For more information about 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, visit 988.ca  

• Call the 24 hours Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST) at 905.972.8338 

• Information about health care options: NeedaDoc.ca.  

• To book a virtual appointment with an urgent care centre: UrgentCareOntario.ca.

• Wait times at Hamilton’s emergency departments: HamiltonEmergencyWaitTimes.ca.

• To refer yourself for free step-by-step support to manage depression or anxiety, visit Ontario Structured Psychotherapy - West Region at ospWest.ca.

• To speak with a registered nurse 24/7: Health811.Ontario.ca.

• To find healthcare services and providers: GreaterHamiltonHealthHetwork.ca.  

• To find out where to get COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in Hamilton: Hamilton.ca/Covid and Hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine.  

• Get a prescription through your local Ontario pharmacist. Learn more about the minor ailments pharmacists can prescribe medication for.