More homeless people hiding from the cold in Montreal's crowded ERs

When warming centres are full, homeless people with nowhere to go are turning to emergency rooms.

The population that lives in encampments or on the street throughout the summer can no longer stay there in extreme weather conditions, says the Old Brewery Mission’s spokesperson Marie-Pier Therrien.

"That’s when they’ll start looking for other options," she said.

But ERs are already operating beyond capacity.

Across the city, the average stretcher occupancy rate is 143 per cent, with many hospitals exceeding that.

As of 7 a.m. Friday, the Montreal General Hospital had a 213 per cent occupancy rate.

The Royal Victoria Hospital recorded 206 per cent.

A spokesperson for the MUHC says the situation in ERs can worsen during cold snaps when some homeless people come in for warmth.

Therrien says some need medical help while others are looking for warm place to stay.

"Sometimes they want to recharge a cell phone, use a bathroom…we know that living on the streets creates a lot of correlation with health issues," she adds.

Dr. Mitch Shulman, who works in an ER, says sometimes they come in on their own or are brought in by Santé Quebec to spend the night.

"Nine times out of 10, they’re gone by the start of the day shift," Dr. Shulman adds. "They really just needed somewhere to hang out, to stay sheltered, stay protected from the inclement weather. But this is not new."

He says the pressure on ERs this time of year is an entirely predictable and preventable pattern.

According to Index Santé’s newest numbers Montrealers are spending five hours and 10 minutes in waiting rooms on average. But if they need a stretcher, the wait time jumps to nearly 19 hours.

Dr. Shulman points to a peak in respiratory viruses after holiday gatherings, coupled with the cold and a lack of community resources.

But he says there are other options than showing up at the ER.

"The pharmacist can prescribe and diagnose a lot of things, from sore throats, to urinary tract infections to yeast infections ... if you just have a cold and you’re congested, why are you seeing me?"

Shulman wants to remind people, they can call 811 or use Clic Santé if they need health advice.