Canadian emergency physician burnout and systemic strain

A July 2026 study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal documented a growing crisis in Canada’s emergency departments: one‑in‑ten emergency physicians had left the specialty, nearly half of those still working had cut their clinical hours, and high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation were reported, especially among women and younger doctors. The report also highlighted a parallel moral‑distress problem among emergency nurses worldwide.

A follow‑up survey published in early August confirmed these trends, noting that 65% of respondents experienced high burnout and that staff shortages were lengthening wait times, increasing patient transfers and straining already crowded emergency rooms. In the same period, former health‑policy officials released a 217‑page “Canadian Health Care Guerrilla Handbook” offering step‑by‑step guidance for patients to obtain primary‑care providers, specialist referrals and other services, underscoring the need for better navigation tools amid systemic strain.

By mid-August, data indicated that emergency department visits rose to 16.1 million in 2024–2025, a nearly 4 percent increase from the previous year. The number of patients waiting 10 hours or more for emergency services has risen by 28 percent since 2018/19. In Quebec, median stays have increased, with mental health specialists in Montreal recording durations as long as 14 hours and 23 minutes. While the absolute supply of physicians has grown, access remains difficult as the average number of service days and weekly hours worked per physician have declined, leaving nearly one in five Canadian adults without a regular healthcare provider.