On July 21, 2026, emergency rooms across Quebec faced persistent pressure, with 1,755 patients waiting and 4,462 total patients in ERs, operating at an overall stretcher occupancy rate of 89% across 120 facilities. This is an increase from earlier in the day when 1,570 patients were waiting. Compared to nine days ago on July 13, the number of waiting patients increased by 302, while stretcher occupancy dropped slightly by 1 percentage point from 90%. This analysis is based on historical data from urgencesquebec.com.
Regionally, Laval recorded the most severe overcrowding with a stretcher occupancy rate of 173% at Hôpital de la Cité-de-la-Santé (60 waiting). Other highly congested regions include Laurentides at 135% and Montérégie at 128%. Montréal registered the largest volume of waiting patients at 367, led by the Hôpital général juif, which had 67 waiting patients and a stretcher occupancy of 217%.