Residents of Mackenzie are raising serious concerns about how often the hospital has service disruptions.

By Tommy Osborne

ER closures

“You start praying:” Mackenzie residents raise serious concerns over hospital service disruptions

Aug 7, 2025 | 5:15 PM

MACKENZIE – There are serious concerns for residents of Mackenzie, who have faced nine service disruptions to their hospital since July 1, according to Northern Health. Prince George-Mackenzie Kiel Giddens says that is way too frequent for closing potential lifesaving care, as he says that has resulted in 19 days of disruptions.

“To expect Mackenzie residents to rely on ambulance services or a two hour drive themselves … in particular, this could be in the wintertime or a busy summer season. This is completely unacceptable,” Giddens said.

It’s a longstanding and serious issue for those living in Mackenzie who can’t be sure what days they may or may not have access to care. Jeanette Brosinsky is one such resident who unfortunately, was a victim of frequent closures and had to travel to Prince George in an emergency situation to receive care for her heart condition.

“I’m frantic, my heart is going 160 beats a minute or even higher. I get taken to my son’s because I don’t know if I’m going to see him again. And the ambulance gets called, and I got to go on a two hour trip and in serious AFib (Atrial Fibrillation), not knowing if I’m going to make it there or back,” Brosinsky said, recounting when Mackenzie’s emergency room was closed when she needed care.

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She needed to get a pacemaker for her atrial fibrillation, and she says the two hour journey from Mackenzie to Prince George was incredibly painful, as she describes her condition as having seizure like symptoms with a lot of pain and pressure building up.

“Your heart is pounding, there is a lot of pain, and the fear of if I’m going to see my family again,” she said.

It’s lead to a situation for many in Mackenzie, who can sometimes feel helpless, not knowing if care will be there when needed.

“When the long weekend rolls around, you start praying and say, ‘please, God, don’t let me go into any kind of heart issues,’ because what’s going to happen?” she said.

“If people get hurt on mountain bikes, what happens? Somebody’s going to die before it’s acknowledged,” she continued.

She is far from alone though, as many can relate to concerns around accessing care. In fact, her son Clayton Solberg had a similar story when he had to drive his mother-in-law to emergency care, only to be greeted by service disruptions in Mackenzie.

“There was nothing I could do for her while I was taking her to Prince George. It was horrible to watch her suffer,” Solberg said.

Instances like these are familiar for many living not just in Mackenzie, but in rural communities all across northern B.C., as Burns Lake, Prince Rupert, Fort Nelson, and more, all faced service disruptions over the B.C. Day long weekend.

“From 2008 up to about maybe 2018, things were pretty clear sailing. I almost never saw a hospital on diversion. All of a sudden, it’s just a common thing now, and people are suffering, people I love are suffering because of it,” Solberg said.

It’s a situation Giddens has been outspoken about, and one he hopes is addressed as soon as possible.

“We need to recruit people from the north to stay in the north, because that’s ultimately what’s going to be successful,” Giddens said.

Giddens added he also hopes to look at travel nurse programs, and overall systemic change in health authorities to address ambulance and paramedic challenges

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