News
Weekly ER Capacity Report — Quebec — August 3 to August 9, 2026
Quebec emergency departments reported an average capacity of 82.5% from August 3 to 9, 2026, slightly above both the previous week and the same period in 2025, while prolonged-stay indicators showed a mixed pattern.
Key Metrics
Provincial average ER capacity: 82.5%
Same period in 2025: 81.1%
Previous week: 81.3%
Average patients waiting more than 24 hours: 4.3 patients
Average patients waiting more than 48 hours: 1.5 patients
Highest reported capacity during the week: 291%
Time Window
This analysis covers Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 9, 2026.
The immediately preceding comparison period is July 27 through August 2, 2026.
The year-over-year comparison covers August 3 through August 9, 2025.
Provincial Overview
Emergency departments across Quebec reported slightly higher average capacity during the week of August 3 to 9 than during the same period one year earlier.
The provincial record-weighted average capacity was 82.5%, compared with 81.1% from August 3 to 9, 2025, an increase of 1.4 percentage points.
Prolonged-stay indicators also increased on a year-over-year basis. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours was 4.3, compared with 3.7 during the matching 2025 period. The average number waiting more than 48 hours was 1.5, compared with 1.1 one year earlier.
Overall, the provincial figures point to a modest increase in reported operational load compared with the same week in 2025. These measures describe emergency department activity and should not be interpreted as indicators of clinical safety.
Week-Over-Week Change
Compared with the immediately preceding week, provincial average capacity increased from 81.3% to 82.5%, a rise of 1.2 percentage points.
Over the same period, the average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours edged down from 4.4 to 4.3. The average number waiting more than 48 hours remained at 1.5 when reported to one decimal place.
The week-over-week picture was therefore mixed: average capacity rose slightly, while prolonged-stay indicators were stable to slightly lower.
Short-term changes of this kind reflect variation between reporting periods and, on their own, should not be interpreted as evidence of a broader structural change.
Regional Standouts
Provincial averages masked notable differences across Quebec's regions.
Among regions with comparable data for both periods, Outaouais recorded the largest year-over-year decline in average capacity, falling from 94.7% in 2025 to 85.3% in 2026, a decrease of 9.4 percentage points.
Chaudière-Appalaches declined from 107.4% to 99.8%, a decrease of 7.6 points, while Lanaudière moved from 97.2% to 90.2%, a decline of 7.0 points.
Several regions moved in the opposite direction.
In Estrie, average capacity increased from 67.2% to 80.9%, a rise of 13.7 percentage points. Abitibi-Témiscamingue increased from 55.1% to 68.1%, a gain of 13.0 points.
Average capacity in Montréal increased from 102.2% to 113.5%, while Montérégie rose from 110.9% to 121.4%.
Regional changes in capacity did not always move in the same direction as prolonged-stay indicators, underscoring the variation that can exist beneath a single provincial average.
Data Coverage
For August 3 to 9, 2026, the analysis includes:
- 15 regions with reported ER records
- 107 emergency department installations
- 14,845 records
The province-wide record count matched the combined regional totals, indicating complete coverage for the retrieved reporting scope.
For the matching August 3 to 9, 2025 comparison period:
- 15 regions with reported ER records
- 114 emergency department installations
- 11,518 records
The 2025 province-wide record count also matched the retrieved regional totals.
Because the number of reporting installations differed between the two periods, year-over-year provincial comparisons reflect the facilities reporting during each respective week.
Methodology
This report summarizes publicly reported emergency department operational data across Quebec for three seven-day periods: August 3–9, 2026; July 27–August 2, 2026; and August 3–9, 2025.
Provincial averages were calculated as record-weighted means across reporting regions, using the number of observations represented in each regional summary.
Because the retrieved regional averages are reported to one decimal place, provincial averages and derived comparisons in this article are also presented to one decimal place.
The highest reported capacity represents the highest reading observed during the analyzed week.
Capacity percentages and prolonged-stay counts represent reported operational load only and should not be interpreted as measures of clinical safety or quality of care.
Informational Use Statement
This summary is based on publicly reported emergency department data and is provided for informational purposes only.