Quebec ER Capacity Rose During the Week of June 8 to June 14, 2026

Quebec emergency departments reported a provincial average capacity of 86.9% during the week of June 8 to June 14, 2026, up from 78.8% during the same period last year.

The latest weekly figure was also higher than the immediately preceding week, when average reported capacity stood at 83.8% from June 1 to June 7, 2026.

Indicators tied to longer emergency department stays also increased compared with the same week in 2025. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours was 4.8, compared with 3.9 one year earlier. The average number waiting more than 48 hours was 1.7, compared with 1.2 during the same week last year.

Compared with the previous week, prolonged-stay indicators were broadly stable. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours remained at 4.8, while the average number waiting more than 48 hours edged up from 1.6 to 1.7.

The highest reported capacity reading anywhere in the province during the week was 350%.

Reporting gap limits full provincial comparison

The week’s data should be read with caution because reporting coverage was incomplete.

Of 115 listed Quebec emergency department installations, 103 reported data during the June 8–14 period. That leaves 12 installations without current-week records. The analysis is therefore based on 17,292 reported records from facilities that submitted data.

The same calendar week in 2025 included 114 reporting installations and 10,864 records. Because the number of reporting installations differed between the two periods, year-over-year comparisons reflect the available reported data rather than a fully matched set of facilities.

Regional patterns varied

Most regions with comparable year-over-year data reported higher average capacity than during the same week last year.

The largest increases were reported in Côte-Nord, where average capacity rose from 54.3% to 68.2%, and in Laurentides, where it increased from 118.9% to 132.5%. Capitale-Nationale also rose from 64.9% to 78.2%, while Chaudière-Appalaches increased from 104.2% to 117.4%.

In Montréal, average capacity was 117.0%, compared with 107.7% during the same week in 2025. The comparison is affected by a reporting difference: 17 installations reported during the current week, compared with 21 installations in the prior-year period.

Laval was the main region showing a year-over-year decline among comparable regions, with average capacity moving from 160.6% in 2025 to 154.6% in 2026. Its prolonged-stay indicators also declined, with patients waiting more than 24 hours moving from 15.8 to 15.0, and patients waiting more than 48 hours moving from 2.8 to 1.5.

Week-over-week change

Comparing June 8 to June 14, 2026 with June 1 to June 7, 2026, Quebec’s record-weighted average capacity increased by 3.1 percentage points, from 83.8% to 86.9%.

Several regions reported notable week-over-week increases. Laval rose from 142.3% to 154.6%, Laurentides rose from 120.6% to 132.5%, and Estrie increased from 61.5% to 71.4%.

Other regions moved lower over the same period. Bas-Saint-Laurent declined from 68.0% to 60.4%, while Côte-Nord declined from 75.8% to 68.2%.

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

How the figures were calculated

Provincial averages are calculated as record-weighted means across reporting emergency departments. Capacity percentages and prolonged-stay counts reflect 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 8 to June 14, 2026, and is provided for informational purposes only.