Toronto General Hospital says partnerships helping with emergency department volume – CBC

The hospital’s ED is built for 20,000 patients, but sees up to 70,000 patients annually

Apr 26, 2026

Toronto General Hospital, part of University Health Network, says its emergency department (ED) is facing ever-increasing patient volumes, and the numbers continue to rise year over year.

Department Head Dr. Erin O’Connor says their ED also sees patients with very complex needs, which means the length of the stay is typically longer.

“This department was built for 20,000 and we’re seeing 60,000-70,000 patients per year,” she said, adding being located downtown comes with its own unique challenges related to mental health and homelessness.

“We’ve made a number of adjustments to try to ensure that people are not waiting a long time, but it sometimes does outstrip our resources.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-general-hospital-emergency-department-9.7172202