BILL NO. 237
(as introduced)
1st Session, 65th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
4 Charles III, 2026
Private Member's Public Bill
Emergency Department Accountability Act
Rod Wilson
Halifax Armdale
First Reading: March 9, 2026
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Provide Accountability
Respecting Emergency Departments
WHEREAS keeping hospital emergency departments open to provide safe, quality care and reducing wait times in healthcare are Government of Nova Scotia responsibilities;
AND WHEREAS Nova Scotians deserve to have their voices heard with respect to what the Government of Nova Scotia is doing to keep emergency departments open;
THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Emergency Department Accountability Act.
2 The purpose of this Act is to provide public accountability to communities respecting emergency departments.
"closure" means a closure of an emergency department that results in there being no in-person emergency department services available to the public from that emergency department;
"emergency department" means an emergency department operated by the Health Authority;
"Health Authority" means the Nova Scotia Health Authority;
"Minister" means the Minister of Health and Wellness.
4 The Health Authority shall, as soon as it is aware of a potential closure, report the potential closure and the reason for such closure to the Minister.
5 (1) Where an emergency department has experienced an ongoing pattern of closure, the Health Authority shall hold a consultation with the community served by the emergency department.
(2) A consultation held under subsection (1) must include consideration of proposed community solutions to keep open or reopen the emergency department.
(3) The Health Authority shall report to the Minister on the first day of every month on consultations held under subsection (1) and the actions taken or to be taken by the Health Authority as a result of the consultations.
6 (1) The Minister shall table quarterly in the House of Assembly a report respecting closures or, where the House is not then sitting, file the report with the Clerk of the House.
(2) The report under subsection (1) must provide
(a) the dates of any closures and the reasons for the closures;
(b) the nature and outcome of all consultations held under subsection 5(1); and
(c) additional data that details access to care in emergency departments, including
- (i) the total number of individuals leaving emergency departments without being seen by a healthcare provider other than for triage,
(ii) average wait times in emergency departments from arrival to triage and from triage to being seen by a healthcare provider other than for triage, and
(iii) the number of staff vacancies within emergency departments.
7 This Act has effect on and after January 1, 2027.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2026 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created March 9, 2026. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
