Quebec City Emergency Department Capacity Report — February 11–24, 2026
Quebec City ER capacity levels from February 11–24, 2026, based on 2,678 reported records across eight hospitals.
Operational Overview
This report examines emergency department capacity in Quebec City over a 14-day period, from February 11 to February 24, 2026. Capacity refers to how full an emergency department is relative to its available treatment spaces.
During this reporting window, the data shows clear differences between larger academic hospitals and smaller community-based facilities. Several large centres recorded average capacity levels above 100%, while smaller installations operated at lower average levels.
This analysis includes all eight emergency departments located in Quebec City (city.id 17) and is based solely on reported operational metrics.
Citywide Capacity Snapshot
Time Window Analyzed: February 11–24, 2026 Installations Included: 8 Total Records Reviewed: 2,678
The figures below represent 14-day arithmetic averages calculated from reported data.
Average Reported Capacity by Installation
(14-Day Arithmetic Mean)
Five installations reported average capacity above 100% during the period:
- L’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec et CRCEO — 117.9%
- Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus — 113.7%
- Centre hospitalier de l’Université Laval — 113.0%
- Hôpital Saint-François d’Assise — 107.7%
- Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec — 106.5%
Three installations reported lower average capacity levels:
- Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement — 88.9%
- Hôpital de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré — 55.4%
- Hôpital Chauveau — 15.6%
During the 14-day period, the highest single reported capacity reading was 193%.
Prolonged Stay Indicators
Another important measure is the number of patients who remain in the emergency department for extended periods.
Across the city:
- The highest average number of patients staying more than 24 hours was 12.3 at Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus.
- The highest average number of patients staying more than 48 hours was 6.8 at Centre hospitalier de l’Université Laval.
These prolonged stay averages were highest at larger, higher-volume hospitals during the reporting period.
Installation-Level Patterns
The overall distribution across Quebec City shows:
- Larger tertiary hospitals tended to report triple-digit average capacity levels.
- Smaller or community-based facilities reported lower average utilization.
- Prolonged stays were more common in higher-volume centres.
These differences reflect variations in operational demand and service profiles across installations.
Capacity percentages represent reported system load at the time of update only. They do not measure clinical safety, quality of care, or patient outcomes.
Data and Methodology
- Date Range: 2026-02-11 to 2026-02-24
- Installations Analyzed: All 8 emergency departments in Quebec City
- Total Records: 2,678
- Averages: Arithmetic means calculated from installation-level summary data
This report describes reported operational metrics only. No predictive analysis or causal conclusions have been applied.
Informational Use Statement This summary is based on publicly reported emergency department data and is provided for informational purposes only.