Quebec emergency departments experienced a modest easing of congestion during Week 43 ending October 19, 2026. Across 108 facilities monitored across 34 snapshots, the total number of waiting patients dropped from 1,691 at the start of the week to 1,389 by week's end. Similarly, total patients present in ERs declined from 4,401 to 3,612, pushing provincial average stretcher occupancy down from 87% to 77%.
Despite the general week-over-week relief, critical pressure points remained concentrated in major urban areas. Laval recorded the highest regional stretcher occupancy rate at 157% at Hôpital de la Cité-De-La-santé. Montréal continued to carry the heaviest total volume, logging 307 waiting patients across 21 facilities with a 127% regional stretcher occupancy rate, driven by high demand at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont and Hôpital général Juif.
Surrounding suburban zones also operated well above capacity, including Laurentides (126% stretcher occupancy), Montérégie (118%), Chaudière-Appalaches (113%), and Lanaudière (103%). Hôpital de Saint-Jérôme in Laurentides recorded the single highest waiting count in Quebec with 66 patients waiting and 146 total in the ER. Outaouais's Hôpital de Hull also saw extreme localized strain, reaching 180% stretcher occupancy.
Conversely, peripheral and rural regions experienced far lower utilization. Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec reported no waiting patients and 0% stretcher occupancy, while Nord-du-Québec (17%), Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (40%), and Bas-Saint-Laurent (47%) operated comfortably within their capacity limits.