Ransomware Hits Nipigon District Memorial Hospital, Closing Lab and Imaging
NIPIGON, Ont. — A ransomware attack on Nipigon District Memorial Hospital has disrupted hospital IT systems, encrypted files that may include personal and personal health information, and forced the temporary closure of outpatient laboratory and diagnostic imaging services.
The northwestern Ontario hospital confirmed the incident as ransomware after first describing it publicly as a “cyber security incident.” In a social media statement, the hospital said it immediately activated incident response and business continuity procedures, and that it is working with external cybersecurity experts, hospital partners, and law enforcement to contain the intrusion, assess its scope, and restore affected systems safely.
Nipigon Mayor Suzanne Kukko told local radio that the hospital had confirmed ransomware and that “some hospital files that may contain personal information and personal health information were encrypted by malware.” Encryption locks those files from normal use. Whether attackers also copied data before locking systems — a common tactic in modern ransomware campaigns — has not been publicly established. No ransomware group has been publicly named.
Hospital administration warned that patients may face longer wait times. The outpatient lab and diagnostic imaging departments were closed until further notice. CEO Shannon Cormier said in an email that some services and processes remain affected, and that staff are using established manual procedures where necessary. She framed the hospital’s immediate priorities as “the safe delivery of patient care, containment of the incident and the secure restoration of hospital systems.”
No restoration timetable has been released. The hospital said an investigation is underway and that it “will notify affected individuals as required and as appropriate” once the review clarifies what information and systems were involved.
The case fits a familiar pattern for Canadian healthcare: a confirmed operational hit at a smaller rural site, rapid shift to paper and manual workflows, closed diagnostic services, and a public promise of privacy notifications after forensics catch up — while attribution and any data theft remain open questions.
Sources
Canadian Healthcare Technology (Sep 23, 2026)
Local reporting via SNNewsWatch / CFNO (mayor and hospital statements)
