Why are medical clinics the way they are now?

Today my dumbass accidentally ate something I’m allergic to. I have since started to wheeze and deeper breathes became harder to do. My reactions are not as severe as they could be (like death) but I start wheezing and sometimes get terrible hives. I thought it best to get the shot. I searched up clinics near me, but guess what, most of them are closed because today is Saturday! But one nearest to me was open until 3pm. I get there and tell them I’m having an allergic reaction. What I get told is they don’t take walk-ins and I’ll have to go to urgent care. The nearest urgent care to me is several kilometres away. It’s just crazy to me that someone could be in active medical distress and they’ll say sorry we can’t help you. All I needed was to be stuck with a needle!

As a kid, I remember medical clinics used to have much longer hours and allow walk-ins. I don’t why things have deteriorated since then. Maybe part of the issue is there aren’t enough doctors to be employed in the clinics?? I know BC has been recruiting doctors and nurses from the US. But becoming a doctor in Canada is so difficult and I don’t think that’s being addressed. I think one of the reasons hospitals are so overwhelmed is because medical clinics are so inaccessible. Which need I remind people accessibility is one of the five principles of the Canada Health Act. And this is metro van I can’t even imagine how much more awful it is in rural areas.

Edit: I am now aware that urgent care probably would have been better to go to initially. I am saying it is sad that things have changed to be less accessible. Also there are such fewer urgent care clinic compared to walk ins. And the medical clinics I used to go to used to have epi pens when I was a child, both as a child and teenager. I didn’t know at some point things have changed in that way! I actively tried to avoid my allergy when I can. Yes I know that pharmacies have epi pens and I should have one. But it’s a medication and fairly expensive at that (and expires pretty quickly if I am not mistaken) and therefore you need health benefits to afford it. And I don’t have that right now. My point still stands that healthcare in a variety of ways has become inaccessible.