Quebec emergency rooms reporting major overcrowding, some at more than 200% capacity

By The Canadian Press on January 3, 2025.

An emergency sign is seen at the McGill University Health Services (MUHC) hospital at the Glen site, in Montreal, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

MONTREAL – Quebec is experiencing serious overcrowding in its emergency rooms after the holidays, with some major hospitals in Montreal operating at more than 200 per cent capacity.

Around midday, Montreal General Hospital was at 213 per cent ER capacity; the Jewish General Hospital was reporting 209 per cent capacity; and the Royal Victoria Hospital, part of the McGill University Health Centre, was listed at 203 per cent.

The data is tracked by the Index Santé website, operated by ESG Média.

Quebec government data says the average ER wait time across the province is five hours, and the average time patients spend on a stretcher is more than 16 hours.

One emergency room physician in Montreal says the overcrowding is trending toward pre-pandemic levels, a situation he says is both entirely predictable and preventable.

Dr. Mitch Shulman says pressure on hospitals always gets worse post-Christmas, but adds the provincial government hasn’t done enough to inform people about the alternatives to ERs where they can seek care.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2025.