Small Town Week, Episode 2: What happens to a town when its only ER room closes?

(This is the second episode of Small Town Week, a five-part series in which we examine big problems facing small communities.)

In today’s Big Story Podcast, the strain on Canada’s health-care system has been building for years, but the pandemic dealt the final blow to our already struggling and threadbare system.

The permanent closure of the emergency room in Minden, Ont., highlights the dire challenges faced by small communities across Canada. Nowhere has our capacity for care been tested more than in rural areas, where family doctors, nurses, walk-in clinics, and hospitals are scarce.

Emily Stonehouse, Editor of The Minden Times, says the closure of the ER has impacted the community as a whole, resulting in people rallying together. “While it’s a challenging and trying topic, it’s humbling to watch an entire community come essentially behind the same cause.”

Is Minden’s ER closure just the beginning? What are the consequences for a town when its primary medical center disappears? Are there any alternative care options available, not just in Minden but also in similar communities?

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