Covenant Health adds weapons screening to all four Edmonton hospital ERs
Walk-through scanners now active at Misericordia and Grey Nuns, completing rollout across the city's major acute-care emergency departments.
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Weapons screening is now active at Misericordia and Grey Nuns emergency departments, making Covenant Health the first health authority in Edmonton to screen all four major acute-care hospital ERs. The walk-through scanners operate like those at concerts and sports venues, detecting prohibited items for secondary screening by Protective Services.
Patients and visitors who refuse screening are assigned Protective Services oversight while in the department. Those whose items are detected can choose to secure them in a locker until discharge, leave them in a car, or give them to a family member or friend not entering the emergency department. The health authority increased contracted security staff prior to adding the screening systems.
"We're trying to take proactive steps to make sure we make it as safe as possible," said Adam Carleton, corporate director of protective services with Covenant Health. "We have increased our contracted security staff in the past, and also added this."
The screening rolled out nearly two months after University of Alberta Hospital added the same system. Royal Alexandra Hospital was first, installing screening in May 2026 following an incident in which a patient was stabbed in the emergency department. The stabbings at Edmonton hospitals this year prompted the rapid expansion across the system.
Gaye Norman, who spends considerable time in emergency departments with two special needs daughters, said the screening makes her feel safer. Others expressed mixed reactions. "I kind of feel the way they were talking to me when they asked me to clear my pockets, it made me feel like I'm a bad person," said Kalyn Alexis. "One place you should be able to feel safe, when you go to emerg. and hospital, and as we've seen the past few months, that's just not happening."
The cost of the screening systems and expanded security staffing was not disclosed.
The facts
Which Edmonton hospitals now have weapons screening in their ERs?
Misericordia, Grey Nuns, University of Alberta Hospital, and Royal Alexandra Hospital all have walk-through weapons screening in their emergency departments. Covenant Health operates all four.
When did Royal Alexandra Hospital install its screening system?
Royal Alexandra Hospital installed weapons screening in May 2026, following a stabbing incident in its emergency department.
What can patients do if their items are detected by the scanner?
They can secure items in a locker until discharge, leave them in a car, or give them to a family member or friend who is not entering the emergency department.
