BILL NO. 172
(as introduced)
1st Session, 65th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
4 Charles III, 2025
Private Member's Public Bill
Rural Emergency Department Closures Accountability Act
Rod Wilson
Halifax Armdale
First Reading: October 2, 2025
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Provide Accountability
Respecting Emergency Department Closures
WHEREAS rural emergency departments are closed too frequently for Nova Scotians to be able to trust that they will be able to get the care they need when and where they need it;
AND WHEREAS Nova Scotians living in rural areas deserve to see if and where their government is making progress to keep rural emergency departments open;
THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Rural Emergency Department Closures Accountability Act.
2 The purpose of this Act is to provide public accountability to communities respecting emergency department closures.
"closure" of a particular emergency department means a closure that results in there being no emergency department services available to the public from that emergency department;
"emergency department" means an emergency department operated by a health authority;
"health authority" means a health authority as defined in the Health Authorities Act;
"Minister" means the Minister of Health and Wellness.
4 (1) On the first Thursday of each month, the Minister shall publicly report on emergency department closures that occurred in the previous month.
(2) A report required under subsection (1) must include
(a) a list indicating each emergency department that experienced closures in the previous month and how many closure hours occurred at each site; and
(b) the total number of emergency department closure hours to date in the current fiscal year for all emergency departments in the Province.
5 (1) On September 30th of each year, the Minister shall publish a report on the emergency department closures that occurred in the previous fiscal year.
(2) A report required under subsection (1) must include
(a) the causes of emergency department closures; and
(b) what steps the Department of Health and Wellness is taking to decrease emergency department closures in the current and next fiscal year.
6 This Act has effect on and after January 1, 2026.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2025 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created October 2, 2025. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
