2026-07-22 — Daily report — Quebec emergency departments see a rise of 216 waiting patients compared to last week, with Laval and Montreal regions experiencing severe stretcher overcapacity.

Key Takeaways

•The overall ER waitlist increased by 216 patients compared to eight days ago, reaching a total of 1,604 patients waiting.

•Laval and Laurentides experienced the highest regional stretcher occupancy rates at 176% and 136%, respectively.

•Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur recorded the longest queue with 65 patients waiting, while Montreal's Hôpital général juif faced critical overcrowding with 221% stretcher occupancy.

On July 22, 2026, Quebec's emergency departments experienced heightened demand compared to the previous week. According to historical data from urgencesquebec.com, latest snapshots show 1,604 patients waiting and 4,253 registered in ERs across 120 facilities, with average stretcher occupancy at 91%. While the overall stretcher occupancy rate decreased by 1 percentage point compared to July 15, 2026, the total number of patients waiting for care rose significantly by 216.

Regionally, Laval recorded the highest stretcher occupancy rate at an alarming 176%, followed by Laurentides at 136% and Montérégie at 127%. Montreal remains the absolute busiest region with 336 waiting patients and a 121% stretcher occupancy. Among individual facilities, Lanaudière's Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur reported the largest waitlist at 65 patients, while Montreal's Hôpital général juif experienced severe overcrowding with its stretcher occupancy capacity stretched to 221%.