Quebec’s emergency departments experienced stable yet highly localized pressure during the week ending July 27, 2026. Across 120 facilities, total patients waiting grew slightly from 1,434 to 1,447, while the total volume of patients in ERs remained virtually unchanged at 3,583. Average stretcher occupancy across the province saw a minor reduction, decreasing from 73% to 71%, indicating a slight easing of overall systemic tension.
However, this province-wide average masks intense regional bottlenecks. Montérégie and Laurentides are currently facing the heaviest burdens, reporting critical stretcher occupancies of 107% and 104% respectively. Montréal and Laval are also operating near maximum threshold limits with occupancies of 98% and 96%. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec and Nord-du-Québec reported minimal to no waiting times, showcasing a stark geographic divide in healthcare demand.
Individual facility data highlights severe localized crowding. Hôpital Pierre-Boucher in Montérégie registered as the busiest ER with 50 patients waiting and a 117% stretcher occupancy rate. Notably, the Jewish General Hospital (Hôpital général juif) in Montréal reported an overwhelming 204% stretcher occupancy with 42 patients waiting, signaling extreme clinical pressure on its localized resources.