New figures released by Santé Québec highlight significant strain on emergency departments across the province, with Lakeshore General Hospital’s emergency room showing some of the longest average wait times in Quebec for 2025–2026.
According to the data, patients at Lakeshore General spent an average of approximately 26.5 hours on a stretcher before being admitted or discharged.
While the numbers place Lakeshore among the highest in wait-time averages, hospital activity data and regional health conditions help explain the pressures behind the figures rather than pointing to a single cause.
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One major factor is the hospital’s patient demographic. Roughly 46 per cent of emergency room visits involve patients aged 75 and older, a group that typically requires more complex assessments, longer treatment times, and a higher likelihood of hospital admission. This naturally increases stretcher occupancy and slows patient flow through the emergency department.
In a statement to CityNews CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal said:
“In a context of significant pressure in the emergency department of the Lakeshore General Hospital, our teams are fully mobilized and improvements are underway to reduce delays for patients.
“In concrete terms, we deploy contingency plans in times of overcapacity, ensure daily medical reassessment of patients on long waits and optimize specialized consultations. We have also strengthened home care and added the presence of a geriatric team dedicated to emergencies. These measures help to better orient patients, reduce avoidable admissions, and improve overall flow.”
Health officials also point to broader system-wide challenges. Limited availability of home care and community support services for seniors means many older patients arrive at emergency rooms when their needs might otherwise be managed outside of hospital settings. Improving these services, officials suggest, could ease pressure not only on Lakeshore General but on emergency departments across Quebec.
In a statement to CityNews Santé Québec said:
“Overall, Santé Québec is satisfied with the performance of its emergency rooms. Thanks to the commitment and sustained efforts of the teams, we have achieved – or are very close to achieving – the targets for emergency performance.”
Staffing shortages and increased demand for emergency care have also contributed to longer wait times. Like many hospitals across the province, Lakeshore has had to manage fluctuating resources while continuing to serve a high volume of patients with increasingly complex needs.
Despite these challenges, province-wide trends show some improvement in emergency room usage overall, with fewer patients visiting ERs in 2025–2026 compared to previous years. Still, the average length of stay in Quebec emergency rooms remained high at approximately 16 hours and 48 minutes, reflecting ongoing system-wide pressures.
