Emergency rooms across Calgary are currently operating well over capacity, and doctors say this flu season is one of the most challenging they’ve seen in years.
According to an internal memo sent to acute care physicians, hospitals across the city are struggling to keep up with patient demand as respiratory illnesses surge during the winter months.
Flu Numbers Are Rising Fast
Provincial data shows that between December 14 and 20, Alberta recorded 2,762 influenza cases, with 3,523 cases in the Calgary zone alone. During that same period, 1,635 people were hospitalized, putting additional strain on emergency departments and acute care units.
Doctors say this year’s flu has been particularly severe.
“This is an exceptional year,” said Dr. Joe Vipond, an emergency room physician at Rockyview Hospital. “The H3N2 variant circulating through Canada appears to be more severe, meaning more people are getting seriously ill and needing hospital care.”
He added that overcrowding makes it harder for medical staff to provide the quality of care they strive for.
Hospitals Expanding Capacity — But Challenges Remain
Alberta Health Services (AHS) says hospital bed capacity can change daily and confirms that overcapacity spaces are being heavily used to manage the ongoing respiratory virus season. This pressure is expected to continue for several more weeks.
In response, the Alberta government made 336 surge response beds available during flu season. Of those:
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206 beds are now permanent
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130 additional beds are set up during peak periods
Dr. Peter Jamieson, Medical Director at Foothills Hospital, explained that hospital strain typically peaks around the holidays or early January before slowly easing.
When Will Things Improve?
Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services Matt Jones says hospitalization data often lags by about a week, meaning the full impact may not be immediately visible.
However, current forecasts suggest that:
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Influenza cases peaked on December 21
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RSV is expected to peak around January 11
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The most intense pressure on hospitals may ease by mid-January
“If forecasting holds, that’s when we should be through the lion’s share of the pressure,” Jones said.
Why This Matters
ER overcrowding doesn’t just affect flu patients — it impacts everyone who needs emergency care. Longer wait times, exhausted healthcare workers, and limited bed availability make winter an especially difficult season for hospitals.
Health officials continue to encourage people to:
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Get vaccinated if eligible
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Stay home when sick
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Use urgent care or primary care clinics when appropriate
As Calgary moves through the rest of flu season, healthcare workers remain on the front lines, working to keep the community safe despite unprecedented strain.