56% of Quebec residents are skipping doctor appointments and emergency department visits because of long wait times, a Léger poll released in October 2026 for the Montreal Economic Institute and SecondStreet.org reported.
The poll also indicated that 50% of Canadians nationwide are forgoing medical care for the same reason, highlighting a broader pattern of rising hospital wait times across the country.
These findings point to emergency department wait times becoming excessively long, leading many people to avoid needed care.