Quebec ER Capacity Increased During the Week of June 1 to June 7, 2026

Quebec emergency departments reported a provincial average capacity of 83.8% during the week of June 1 to June 7, 2026, up from 80.4% during the same calendar period in 2025.

The current week also showed a modest increase compared with the previous week. Average ER capacity rose from 82.0% during May 25 to May 31, 2026, to 83.8% during June 1 to June 7, 2026.

Indicators tied to longer emergency department stays also moved upward. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours was 4.8, compared with 3.9 during the same period last year and 4.4 the previous week. The average number waiting more than 48 hours was 1.6, compared with 1.2 one year earlier and 1.5 the previous week.

The highest reported capacity reading anywhere in the province during the week was 300%.

Time window

This analysis covers Monday, June 1 to Sunday, June 7, 2026.

Comparisons are made with the immediately preceding week, May 25 to May 31, 2026, and the same calendar period one year earlier, June 1 to June 7, 2025.

Provincial overview

Emergency departments across Quebec reported higher overall capacity during the week of June 1 to June 7, 2026, compared with the same calendar period one year earlier.

Across reporting facilities, the provincial average emergency department capacity was 83.8%, compared with 80.4% during June 1 to June 7, 2025. That represents an increase of 3.4 percentage points in the record-weighted provincial average.

The number of patients waiting more than 24 hours increased from 3.9 to 4.8, while the number waiting more than 48 hours increased from 1.2 to 1.6.

Taken together, the figures show higher reported operational load than the same period last year, though the incomplete facility coverage means the provincial comparison should be interpreted with caution.

Week-over-week change

Comparing June 1 to June 7, 2026 with the immediately preceding week shows a moderate increase in reported capacity.

Provincial average capacity rose from 82.0% to 83.8%, an increase of 1.8 percentage points.

During the same period, the average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours increased from 4.4 to 4.8. The average number waiting more than 48 hours increased from 1.5 to 1.6.

Short week-to-week changes should be interpreted as normal operational variation rather than evidence of a structural shift.

Regional standouts

Regional patterns varied across the province.

Several regions reported lower average capacity than during the same calendar period last year. In Estrie, average capacity declined from 77.2% in 2025 to 61.5% in 2026. Laval moved from 146.7% to 142.3%, while Outaouais declined from 79.3% to 76.0%.

Other regions reported higher average capacity. Lanaudière rose from 82.4% to 106.0%, the largest year-over-year increase among regions with comparable data. Laurentides increased from 108.8% to 120.6%. Bas-Saint-Laurent rose from 57.0% to 68.0%, while Côte-Nord increased from 64.8% to 75.8%.

In Montréal, average capacity was 113.4%, compared with 108.9% during the same calendar period in 2025. Montréal’s comparison is affected by a reporting difference: 17 installations reported during the current week, compared with 21 installations in the prior-year period.

Data coverage

This analysis covers emergency department reporting across Quebec for June 1 to June 7, 2026.

Current-week coverage includes:

Regions with reported data: 15

Emergency department installations reporting data: 103

Listed Quebec installations: 115

Installations without current-week records: 12

Total records analyzed: 17,083

The dataset for the requested week was incomplete by facility coverage, because 12 listed installations did not have current-week records. The available reported records for the period were included in the calculations.

The same calendar period in 2025 included 114 reporting installations and 9,125 records. Because the number of reporting installations differed between years, year-over-year comparisons reflect the available reported data rather than a fully matched facility panel.

Methodology

Provincial averages were calculated as record-weighted means across reporting emergency departments. Reported maximum capacity represents the highest reading recorded anywhere in Quebec during the analyzed week.

Capacity percentages and prolonged-stay counts represent reported operational load only. They should not be interpreted as measures of clinical safety or as guidance about where patients should seek care.

This summary is based on publicly reported emergency department data for June 1 to June 7, 2026, and is provided for informational purposes only.