The Emergency Departments are experiencing high volumes of patients who need care. Please be prepared to wait. The most serious cases are treated first.
Not all health concerns need emergency care. You can also book a virtual visit or go to an urgent care clinic for these concerns. For life-threatening symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
Thank you for your patience.
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is committed to delivering exceptional healthcare experiences with compassion.
As part of the communities we serve, the people who work and volunteer here are your friends, neighbours, and family members. From creating jobs to supporting care, research, and innovation, WRHN is playing an active role in building a healthier, stronger Waterloo Wellington.
Together with our partners, WRHN is building a health system that is connected and ready to meet the diverse needs of the communities we serve — one that is ready when and where it is needed most.
Here is what this looks like:
The partners, students, supporters, and communities who work with our teams help us build a healthier Waterloo Wellington for everyone who lives and works here.
WRHN is committed to working with and learning from patients, families, community members, and local groups and organizations. We know that, together, we can make care better for everyone. Services become more respectful, easier to understand, and meet people’s real needs. This helps build trust, reduce health gaps, and ensure we can all get the care we need now and in the future. That is why community engagement is at the core of how we care at WRHN.
WRHN is guided by community advisors who help shape how care is planned and delivered based on lived experiences. These include the Patient and Family Partner Network, Indigenous leaders and the Indigenous Employee Circle, the Indigenous Advisory Circle, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other partners. Their voices help identify real needs, concerns, and barriers to care. They help us create services that are more respectful and inclusive for everyone — now and for generations to come.
WRHN is committed to building strong connections with the communities we serve through open conversations and shared experiences. We host public forums, like town halls, to share updates, hear your feedback, and discuss the topics that matter most to patients, families, and community members. We also take part in local events and festivals to listen, engage, and strengthen our relationship with the communities we serve.
See how community input is shaping care. We invite community members to join future events and share their thoughts with us.
Our teams work alongside local groups and organizations to offer care that puts patients first and centres around each person’s needs — and not just at WRHN, but in the community too. These partnerships help connect patients and families with programs, services, and supports that make everyday life healthier and easier.
Delivering seamless care across different stages of life, types of health journeys, and communities takes a village. WRHN is proud to work closely with local health partners to help connect people with the care and support they need, when and where they need it.
WRHN partners with local hospitals to offer more connected care and make it possible for patients to access more services close to home. Current partners include:
Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) bring community organizations and healthcare providers together to share resources and better coordinate services and care, making healthcare more connected and easier to access for everyone who needs it.
WRHN is a part of the KW4 OHT. We also work closely with other OHTs in the communities we serve, including Cambridge North Dumfries OHT and Guelph Wellington OHT.
The Ministry of Health, which is part of the Ontario government, looks after healthcare. It works with hospitals, like those at WRHN, to fund services, set rules, and help make sure people get the care they need to stay healthy.
WRHN partners with Region of Waterloo Public Health to coordinate local responses to infectious diseases, like COVID-19 or measles. They also partner on programs for newborns, creating more services to keep the youngest members of our communities safe and healthy.
Ontario Health is a government agency that plans and coordinates healthcare services across the province. It oversees Ontario’s regional cancer and kidney programs, creating province-wide plans, and working with hospitals to make care better and more consistent.
As home to both the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program and the Waterloo Wellington Regional Renal Program, WRHN works closely with Ontario Health. Together, we deliver these important services, helping patients across the region get the care they need, right in their local communities.
Trillium Gift of Life Network is also a part of Ontario Health and is responsible for organ and tissue donation in Ontario. It works with hospitals, including those at WRHN, to help save and improve lives by making sure donations are safe, respectful, and given to people who need them most.
Outreach programs help WRHN support local health and wellness by meeting people where they are. By partnering with local communities, organizations, and healthcare providers, WRHN makes it easier for people to get support, learn about their health, and stay well closer to home. These partnerships also create new opportunities to invest in the health and future of Waterloo Wellington.
Here are just a few of the community-based programs WRHN is proud to offer or be a part of:
Cancer screening helps find cancer early, when it is easier to treat. It is important that everyone has access to screening when they need it.
The Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program works in partnership with SHORE Centre and Ontario Health Teams to provide cancer screening for people in Waterloo Wellington without a primary care provider. It helps them get tests and connects them with follow-up care when needed.
The program also partners with local organizations to provide cancer education and raise awareness about cancer prevention and screening. We offer public presentations with the program’s Regional Primary Care Lead and set up information booths at public events, like health fairs and senior active living fairs.
The community airway clinic is a partnership with local community health centres. It gives patients access to care with WRHN team members in their own communities. This program is funded by the Ministry of Health to make it easier to get care closer to home.
Our team works with the teams at six community health centres to offer care across the region, including at:
The clinic offers screening, education, and support for people with asthma and COPD. We aim to help patients manage their condition better and improve their quality of life.
The program accepts referrals for any patient from the region, not just those who are part of a community health centre. If a patient is referred to the airway clinic at WRHN @ The Boardwalk but lives closer to one of these sites, we can also arrange to see the patient at a location that is closer to their home.
Our team works with partners to bring services to WRHN Cancer Centre and connect patients and care partners with community resources and support, such as:
Other community partnerships include the UW WELL-FIT cancer exercise programs, The Quit Program at Apothecare Pharmacy, Pap-a-palooza with SHORE Centre, Hospice Wellington, and local fundraising efforts supporting cancer care at WRHN.
The stroke program partners with community organizations to help patients recover after a stroke, including Neuro Fit at the YMCA of Three Rivers, the STEPS exercise program at the University of Waterloo, and the After Stroke program at March of Dimes. These partnerships give patients more support and opportunities to stay active, build confidence, and continue their recovery.
In partnership with Kitchener Public Library, the J. Wesley Graham Patient and Family Resource Centre at WRHN Cancer Centre serves Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program patients, families, and care partners. It provides them with resources and information about cancer, treatment, and community support services. The co-branded library card they get at sign-up also gives them access to all Kitchener Public Library resources.
Getting the right care starts with having the right information. That is why WRHN partnered with Cambridge Memorial Hospital, Groves Memorial Community Hospital, Guelph General Hospital, and North Wellington Health Care to create Know Your Care Options. This online tool helps people in Waterloo Wellington understand where to go for care, so they can get the help they need, when and where they need it.
WRHN works with the YMCA of Three Rivers to bring monthly pacemaker clinics to their Guelph and Stratford locations. These clinics support patients’ ongoing heart health, making it possible for them to get their pacemakers checked and monitored right in their own communities.
The PREVENT Clinic, powered by Manulife, helps people lower their risk of heart disease before problems start. A team of health experts works with you to stay healthy and prevent heart problems. You will also often see the PREVENT team at local events, sharing tips on heart health and how the program can help.
Through Project SEARCH, WRHN, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, and KW Habilitation support students with disabilities in gaining the skills and experience they need to find meaningful jobs after graduation.
WRHN’s regional programs provide services like cancer and kidney care at community sites across the province, including in communities such as Brant, Bruce, Grey, Haldimand, Huron, Norfolk, Oxford, and Perth counties. By bringing care closer to home, we make it easier for people to get the care they need when they need it most.
Innovation in healthcare is about finding better ways to care for people. By using new ideas, tools, and approaches, organizations like WRHN can improve treatment, make care safer and faster, and create better experiences for patients and families. Working together with partners in innovation, research, and education helps drive this progress, making care stronger and more connected for everyone who needs it.
Our impact goes beyond the walls of WRHN — and it starts with you. By getting involved, you help shape how we support patients, families, and the wider community.
We want to hear what you think about the care and services we provide and how we support the community. Whether you have used our services or want to share an idea, we would like to hear from you. Your feedback helps us learn, grow, and better meet the needs of everyone we serve. Thank you for helping us make a difference — together, we can build stronger, healthier communities.
Volunteers are a key part of our team at WRHN. They work alongside team members to support patients, families, and visitors, helping make WRHN a caring and welcoming place for everyone. Becoming a volunteer with the Patient and Family Partners Network is a way patients and families can also share their feedback and shape the care and experience at WRHN.
When you support care delivery at WRHN through WRHN Foundation, you help friends, neighbours, and loved ones get the care they need and deserve — right here at home. Every donation to WRHN Foundation makes a difference for patient experience and lays the groundwork for care that is fueled by innovation, delivered with compassion, and accessible to everyone.
