For the week ending May 18, 2026, Quebec's emergency room network shows significant regional volatility and localized pressure points. Across 119 reporting facilities, a total of 1,066 patients are currently waiting for care, while the province-wide stretcher occupancy rate sits at 73%. While the overall provincial average appears manageable, this figure masks severe congestion in urban hubs, particularly in Laval and Montreal, where stretcher occupancy has soared to 135% and 110% respectively.
Specific facilities are facing alarming levels of saturation. The Hôpital général juif in Montreal is operating at an extraordinary 217% stretcher capacity, while Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne in Montérégie is managing the highest volume of waiting patients at 60. Other high-pressure zones include the Laurentides at 113% occupancy. These figures contrast sharply with regions like Nord-du-Québec and Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec, which report minimal to zero wait times and very low stretcher utilization.
The data highlights a heavy concentration of emergency room demand in the Montérégie and Montreal regions, which together account for a substantial portion of the province's total waiting patients. Despite the high volume at central university hospitals, smaller regional centers like Chauveau in Capitale-Nationale are also seeing unexpected spikes in demand. Ongoing monitoring is required to address the resource imbalances between the saturated metropolitan corridors and the currently underutilized rural sectors.