One in 10 ER patients faced waits exceeding 14 hours in 2024-25
A new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reveals that one-tenth of emergency department (ED) patients — approximately 1.5 million people — spent more than 14 hours in the emergency room during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The findings underscore mounting pressure on Canada's healthcare system.
Admitted patients experience longest delays
The CIHI study shows that patients requiring hospital admission faced the most severe waits. One in 10 admitted patients, equating to around 180,000 individuals, spent more than 48 hours waiting for a bed. The report indicates that the ED often reflects broader system strain, with wait times driven by patient complexity and demand exceeding capacity.
Half of patients seen within two hours, but one in 10 wait over six hours
In 2024-25, half of ED patients were assessed by a physician within just under two hours. However, one in 10 patients waited more than six hours for initial assessment. When patients cannot be transferred elsewhere, the ED becomes a buffer, absorbing overflow from other parts of the system.
Urgent and complex visits on the rise
Approximately 66% of ED visits involved patients requiring immediate or urgent medical attention, an increase of seven percentage points since 2018-19 — representing about 1.7 million additional visits. Nearly one-third of visits involved patients with multiple medical conditions, necessitating more complex assessments, testing, and care coordination.
Most admitted patients discharged within four days, but long-term care waits persist
While most patients admitted through EDs were discharged within an average of four days, about 114,000 patients remained in hospital much longer because they required additional support. Among those waiting for placement in long-term care, half waited up to 44 days in hospital.
Emergency physician calls it a national crisis
Dr. Paul Parks, an emergency medicine physician in Medicine Hat, Alberta, described the situation as a national crisis. “We’ve optimized everything,” Parks said in a statement. “We’ve taken all the elasticity out of the system, but the tap is still flowing. There’s a crisis: insufficient connected community resources, and little continuing care and long-term care.”
Alternate level of care patients contribute to bed shortages
Sometimes hospital beds are unavailable because patients are waiting to access other services such as long-term care or home care. These patients, designated as alternate level of care (ALC), are medically ready for discharge but remain in hospital a median of 44 days. Adults aged 55 and older are among the most frequent ED users, and nearly one-third of visits involve patients with multiple comorbidities, reflecting gaps in primary and community care. People living in the lowest-income neighbourhoods account for nearly half of all ED visits, often relying on the emergency department due to barriers accessing community care.
