Edmonton’s Stollery, University of Alberta Hospital introduce single-bag policy
Posted May 5, 2026 10:26 am.
Last Updated May 5, 2026 5:32 pm.
Exactly one week after the Royal Alexandra Hospital implemented safety measures at its emergency department, two more Edmonton hospitals are doing the same.
The University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) and Stollery Children’s Hospital are introducing a policy limiting patients, staff and visitors to one bag in their emergency departments.
Alberta Health Services says the hospitals will have “methods in place to secure extra bags if required.”
“Reducing the number of bags in the ED will help staff and physicians maintain a safe work environment by keeping aisles clear of tripping hazards, and ensuring chair and table space is available for patients and their support people,” AHS wrote in a news release.
Exceptions will be made for people needing extra bags for medical devices, medical supplies, or child-care items.
The UAH will also limit visitors or support people to one at a time per emergency department patient, with exceptions being made for patients requiring additional care. AHS says that policy will “help reduce noise and provide more room for those who need to be there.”
There will be no visitor limit at the Stollery, AHS clarified in an afternoon news release. “Patients and families will continue to be supported by more than one parent or guardian, and siblings may also be present,” the health authority wrote.
Both the one-bag and visitor policies were introduced at the Royal Alexandra last week, though all bags entering the emergency department there are also being searched. That additional safety measure follows a stabbing at the downtown Edmonton hospital last month.
