Over the course of week 40, ending September 28, 2026, emergency departments across Quebec experienced a notable rise in pressure. The total number of patients waiting in ERs increased from 1,213 to 1,386, while the total number of active ER patients jumped from 3,557 to 3,949. Stretcher occupancy rates rose significantly, climbing from 78% at the start of the week to 87% by the end, reflecting heightened systemic demand across the province's 120 facilities.
Heavy loads continue to be highly concentrated in metropolitan and surrounding regions. Laval recorded a staggering 169% stretcher occupancy at its single facility, Hôpital de la Cité-de-la-Santé. Other heavily congested regions included Chaudière-Appalaches at 138%, Montréal at 135% (led by the CHUM with 52 patients waiting), and Montérégie at 119% stretcher occupancy. Conversely, more remote areas like Nord-du-Québec and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean maintained manageable stretcher occupancies of 37% and 50% respectively.
At the facility level, Hôpital de la Cité-de-la-Santé in Laval was the busiest individual ER with 75 patients waiting and a 169% stretcher capacity. However, critical congestion peaks were observed elsewhere, notably at the Hôpital général juif in Montréal, which reached an alarming 245% stretcher occupancy rate despite having fewer total patients waiting. Other major pressure points included Hôpital de Saint-Eustache in Laurentides (183% stretcher rate) and Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne in Montérégie (119% stretcher rate).