Weekly ER Capacity Report — Quebec — May 11 to May 17, 2026

Key Metrics

Provincial average ER capacity: 82.5%

Average patients waiting more than 24 hours: 4.4

Average patients waiting more than 48 hours: 1.5

Highest reported capacity during the week: 258%

Time Window

This analysis covers the seven-day period from May 11, 2026 to May 17, 2026.

The figures reflect reported emergency department operational data across Quebec during that period.

Provincial Overview

Emergency departments across Quebec reported a record-weighted average capacity of 82.5% during the week of May 11 to May 17, 2026.

Across all reporting facilities, the average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours was 4.4, while the average number waiting more than 48 hours was 1.5. These figures describe reported operational load only and should not be interpreted as measures of clinical safety.

The highest reported capacity during the week was 258%. Capacity readings varied by region and installation, reflecting differences in reported operational load across the province.

Reporting Coverage

The week’s data includes an important coverage caveat.

A review of the latest available installation-level records shows that 12 emergency departments had not reported newer data after May 11, 2026 at 14:00 as of the live check. Those facilities were still represented in the weekly dataset, but their recent reporting was not current through the end of the week.

The affected installations were concentrated in Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec and Montréal:

• Hôtel-Dieu d’Arthabaska
• Hôpital Sainte-Croix
• Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire régional de Trois-Rivières
• Centre multiservices Christ-Roi
• Hôpital du Centre-de-la-Mauricie
• Centre multiservices Avellin-Dalcourt
• Centre multiservices de Fortierville
• Centre multiservices du Haut-Saint-Maurice
• Hôpital Jean-Talon
• Hôpital Fleury
• Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal
• Hôpital en santé mentale Albert-Prévost

Because of this reporting gap, the provincial figures should be read as a summary of available reported records, not as a fully current picture for every installation through May 17.

Regional Picture

Regional averages varied widely across the province.

Laval reported the highest regional average capacity, at 148.6%, based on 165 records from one installation. Laurentides followed at 125.2%, while Chaudière-Appalaches reported 123.2%.

At the lower end of the reported regional averages, Nord-du-Québec reported 30.4%, while Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine reported 44.4%.

Montréal, the region with the largest number of reporting installations, recorded an average capacity of 111.0% across 2,869 records from 21 installations. The region also reported averages of 10.3 patients waiting more than 24 hours and 4.6 waiting more than 48 hours.

Data Coverage

This analysis includes:

• Regions analyzed: 16
• Emergency department installations included: 115
• Total records analyzed: 17,205
• Date range: May 11, 2026 to May 17, 2026

The dataset was complete for the retrieved regional summaries and available weekly records. However, it was not fully current for all installations, because 12 installations showed no newer reported record after May 11 at 14:00 during the live review.

Methodology

Provincial averages were calculated as record-weighted means across reporting installations. This means regions and installations contributed according to the number of records available during the week, rather than each region being weighted equally.

Highest capacity represents the maximum reported reading anywhere in Quebec during the analyzed week.

Capacity percentages and prolonged-stay counts represent reported emergency department operational load only. They should not be used to assess clinical safety or to compare the quality of care between facilities.

Informational Use Statement

This summary is based on publicly reported emergency department data and is provided for informational purposes only.