As of the week ending May 25, 2026, the Quebec emergency room network indicates a notable increase in systemic pressure. Total patients in ER facilities rose by approximately 14% over the week, climbing from 3,248 to 3,699 individuals. This surge has pushed the provincial stretcher occupancy rate from 73% to 78%, signaling tightening capacity across the network as we move deeper into the second quarter. (estimate)
Regional disparities remain stark, with urban centers facing the most significant strain. Laval is currently operating at a critical 127% stretcher occupancy, followed closely by Chaudière-Appalaches at 122% and Montréal at 110%. In contrast, northern and rural regions like Nord-du-Québec continue to operate well within their means at 17% occupancy, while Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec reported an unusual temporary lull with no patients waiting at the snap-shot time.
Individual facility data highlights severe bottlenecks in specific hospitals. Hôpital de Saint-Jérôme and Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur are tied for the highest number of patients waiting (54 each). However, clinical intensity appears highest at the Jewish General Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital in Montréal, which are grappling with stretcher occupancy rates of 198% and 209% respectively, indicating that these facilities are managing more than double their intended stretcher capacity.
The Montérégie region also shows signs of becoming a major congestion point, with four of the province's top ten busiest hospitals located there, including Hôpital Pierre-Boucher and Hôpital Barrie Memorial. With 1,442 patients currently waiting across the province at the end of the week—a 35% increase from the start of the week—hospital administrators may need to evaluate patient redistribution or increase staffing to handle the growing influx.