According to historical data from urgencesquebec.com, Quebec's emergency rooms are seeing a notable increase in pressure as of April 27, 2026. The number of patients waiting has risen to 1,202, up from 1,116 just three days ago, while the total number of patients in ERs has surged from 3,328 to 4,277. Stretcher occupancy is particularly concerning, having jumped by 11 percentage points to reach a provincial average of 87%.
Regional disparities are stark; while Nord-du-Québec remains quiet at 13% stretcher capacity, several urban hubs are over capacity. The Laurentides region is the most strained at 141% stretcher occupancy, followed by Laval (135%) and Montérégie (114%). The Hôpital et centre de réadaptation en dépendance de Val-d'Or currently leads the province in waiting patients with 37 individuals, highlighting significant demand even outside the major metropolitan centers.