Nearly 200,000 emergency patients waited 48 hours or more for a bed last year, report finds (opens original article in a new tab)

A report reveals that nearly 200,000 Canadian emergency patients waited 48 hours or more for a hospital bed in 2024-2025, with prolonged waits linked to increased mortality and systemic healthcare challenges.

• Nearly 200,000 emergency patients waited 48 hours or more for a bed in 2024-2025.
• One in 10 emergency patients spent over 14 hours in the ER, up 28% since 2018-19.
• Severe cases increased by 66% of all emergency visits, with 2.195 expected deaths from prolonged waits.