Quebec’s emergency rooms are experiencing worse overcrowding this summer than at the same time last year, according to provincial dashboard figures, even after the state health corporation Santé Québec assumed responsibility for the public medical network.
Longer stays for admitted patients
For the period from May 31 to June 27, the average length of stay for patients admitted through emergency departments rose by one hour and 33 minutes to almost 24 hours compared with the same period a year earlier. That increase comes despite Santé Québec’s stated mandate to improve system efficiency after it took over management from the provincial health ministry in December 2024.
Stretchers and targets
By other measures, the situation is also deteriorating. On July 19 the average time a patient spent on a stretcher in an ER was 17 hours and five minutes, up from 15 hours and 37 minutes on the comparable date last year.
Before Santé Québec’s creation, the provincial health ministry had set a target of under 16 hours for patients on stretchers. Santé Québec has since abandoned that target. The new public target for the average length of stay for admitted emergency patients this year is 21 hours and 30 minutes, but for the period ending June 27 the actual average was 23 hours and 36 minutes, missing the stated goal.
| Measure | Latest reported value | Comparable last year | Santé Québec target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average stay for admitted ER patients (May 31–Jun 27) | ~24 hours (23:36 reported for period ending Jun 27) | About 22 hours 3 minutes (one hour 33 minutes less) | 21:30 |
| Average time on stretcher (Jul 19) | 17:05 | 15:37 | Previously <16:00 (target since dropped) |
Local effects and reactions
Clinicians and patient advocates say the figures reflect a clear decline in ER capacity and patient flow in recent weeks. Dr. Gilbert Boucher, president of the Association des spécialistes en médecine d'urgence du Québec (ASMUQ), confirmed there has been an increase in overcrowding but said the reasons are unclear.
“We do not know why.”
Patient-rights advocate Paul Brunet, of the Conseil pour la protection des malades, voiced frustration that neither Santé Québec nor doctors’ federations’ pledges to streamline the system appear to be improving outcomes.
“Why aren’t the numbers going down? Unfortunately, these figures are not showing that anything is being done.”
The source material also notes that in some hospitals, such as the Royal Victoria in Montreal, patients have at times been left on stretchers for four or five days, underscoring how severe delays can become at particular sites.
Consequences and next steps
Missing the publicly stated performance target for admitted patients and recording longer stretcher times raise questions about capacity, community care and discharge processes that affect health-system flow. The reported figures will likely intensify scrutiny of Santé Québec’s operations and its ability to meet both patient-care needs and the targets it has set or inherited.
- Average admitted ER stay rose by about 1 hour 33 minutes year over year for late spring.
- Stretchers now average more than 17 hours in ERs on recent measures.
- Santé Québec’s current public target for admitted ER patients (21:30) was not met in the most recent reporting period.
Officials at Santé Québec, hospitals and provincial health authorities were not quoted beyond the published dashboard statistics in the source material. The reported numbers will likely factor into ongoing debates about system reform, resource allocation and how to reduce prolonged ER stays for the summer months.
