The provincial emergency room landscape for the week ending April 27, 2026, reflects a notable increase in systemic pressure across Quebec. Over the seven-day period, the number of patients waiting for care rose significantly from 851 to 1,400, marking a sharp upward trend in demand. While the total number of facilities remained constant at 119, the volume of patients physically present in emergency departments grew by over 500 individuals, pushing the province-wide stretcher occupancy average to 80%.
The most severe congestion is concentrated in the metropolitan regions of Laval, Montérégie, and the Laurentides, all of which exceeded 100% stretcher occupancy. Laval, represented by Hôpital de la Cité-de-la-Santé, reached a critical peak of 149% occupancy. Similarly, Montérégie reported a 112% occupancy rate, driven largely by Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne, which currently holds the highest volume of waiting patients in the province with 49 individuals. These figures suggest that urban centers are struggling to transition patients from emergency stretchers to inpatient beds.
In contrast, northern and eastern regions like Nord-du-Québec and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean continue to operate within manageable limits, with stretcher occupancy rates of 17% and 45%, respectively. However, even within these quieter regions, specific facilities like Hôpital de Dolbeau-Mistassini are seeing localized spikes in activity. The Capitale-Nationale region presents a unique case where the waitlist is high (161 waiting), yet stretcher occupancy remains relatively stable at 61%, indicating a fast-paced turnover or a higher proportion of ambulatory cases.
The top 10 most burdened facilities are primarily located in the Greater Montreal area and its surrounding suburbs. Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur and Hôpital général juif continue to experience chronic overcrowding, with the latter reporting a staggering 174% occupancy rate. As the province concludes Week 18, the data indicates that health authorities may need to implement diversion protocols or increase bed availability in the Montérégie and Laval sectors to alleviate the mounting pressure on frontline staff and improve patient throughput.