2026-08-12 — Daily report — Quebec ERs show a decline in average stretcher occupancy to 80% despite an increase in waiting patients compared to two weeks ago.

Key Takeaways

•Average stretcher occupancy across Quebec improved from 90% to 80% over the course of the day, though the total number of waiting patients represents an increase of 133 compared to two weeks ago.

•Laval (137%), Laurentides (119%), and Montérégie (116%) emerged as the most congested regions in terms of stretcher occupancy.

•Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur was the busiest individual facility with 89 patients waiting, while Hôpital de Gatineau faced the heaviest capacity strain at 154% stretcher occupancy.

According to historical data from urgencesquebec.com, Quebec’s emergency departments concluded August 12, 2026, with 1,799 patients waiting and 4,227 total patients registered across 120 facilities. This represents a steady improvement throughout the day from the earliest snapshot, which recorded 1,988 waiting and a 90% stretcher occupancy rate before falling to 80%. When compared to the situation two weeks prior on July 30, the number of patients waiting increased by 133, though the overall average stretcher occupancy decreased by 12 percentage points.

Regional disparities remain stark. While regions like Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec reported no wait times, metropolitan and suburban areas faced significant strain. Laval topped the regional stretcher occupancy list at 137%, followed by Laurentides at 119% and Montérégie at 116%. On an individual level, Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur in Lanaudière and Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne in Montérégie recorded the highest absolute numbers of waiting patients, with 89 and 79 patients respectively.