Quebec ER Capacity Held Steady During the Week of May 25 to May 31, 2026

Quebec emergency departments reported a provincial average capacity of 82.0% during the week of May 25 to May 31, 2026, remaining close to both the previous week’s level and the average recorded during the same calendar week in 2025.

The provincial average was 81.9% during the week of May 18 to May 24, 2026, and 81.6% during the comparable week of May 25 to May 31, 2025.

Indicators tied to longer emergency department stays also showed limited movement. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours was 4.4, compared with 4.5 the previous week and 4.0 during the same week last year. The average number waiting more than 48 hours was 1.5, unchanged from the previous week and above the 1.2 recorded one year earlier.

The highest reported capacity reading anywhere in the province during the week was 257%.

Reporting remained incomplete

The week’s data should be read with caution because not all listed emergency department installations submitted records.

Of 115 listed Quebec ER installations, 103 reported data during the May 25–31 period, leaving 12 installations without current-week records. The analysis is based on 16,985 reported records from facilities that submitted data.

For the same calendar week in 2025, the comparison period included 114 reporting installations and 8,160 records. Because reporting coverage differed between the two periods, year-over-year comparisons reflect available reported data rather than a fully matched facility panel.

Week-over-week change was limited

Compared with the previous week, Quebec’s record-weighted average ER capacity increased by 0.1 percentage points, from 81.9% to 82.0%.

The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours decreased from 4.5 to 4.4, while the average number waiting more than 48 hours remained unchanged at 1.5.

Several regions saw week-to-week movement, but the provincial picture remained broadly stable.

Regional patterns varied

Several regions reported lower average capacity than during the same week last year.

In Estrie, average capacity declined from 75.1% in 2025 to 59.7% this year. Outaouais moved from 77.8% to 71.4%, while Bas-Saint-Laurent declined from 52.5% to 47.5%.

Other regions reported higher average capacity than during the same period in 2025. Lanaudière rose from 97.2% to 111.0%, while Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean increased from 57.8% to 68.7%. Côte-Nord moved from 64.3% to 70.9%.

In Montréal, average capacity was 113.9%, compared with 108.5% during the same week last year. The comparison is affected by reporting coverage: 17 Montréal 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 May 25 to May 31, 2026.

Current-week coverage includes 15 regions with reported data, 103 emergency department installations, and 16,985 reported records. Quebec lists 115 ER installations in the dataset, meaning 12 installations had no current-week records.

The dataset for the requested week was incomplete by facility coverage.

Methodology

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

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 May 25 to May 31, 2026, and is provided for informational purposes only.