Quebec’s Info-Santé 811 is experiencing longer wait times as the province’s 24-hour health advice line faces a sharp increase in demand. The average wait time to speak with a nurse is now nearly 90 minutes, up from about one hour, according to Santé Québec. Santé Québec says the increase is partly due to a surge in call volume. In July 2025, the service received 137,910 calls. This July, that number climbed to 183,693 — an increase of nearly 46,000 calls. “We understand that having to wait to speak to a health-care professional can be a cause for concern,” said Santé Québec spokesperson Catherine Brousseau. Typically, Info-Santé’s 811 phone line sees its highest call volumes between November and March. However, Santé Québec says several factors may be contributing to the surge in calls, including the growing complexity of calls that require more time and attention. “That said, there is still work to be done, and the situation is far from perfect,” Brousseau said. Measures underway to meet demand She said Santé Québec has been working since last fall to increase staffing at its call centres while testing measures to shorten wait times and better meet demand. One of these initiatives includes using AI to improve service, which was implemented in April. It involves diverting influenza or gastroenteritis calls to a non-clinical agent who uses an AI-powered app to help patients, allowing nurses to spend more time answering more complex calls. “It must be said that our teams are fully committed and working hard to respond to enquiries as quickly as possible,” Brousseau said. “Despite the waiting time, we encourage the public to call 811 before going to the emergency room. In addition, a call-back option is available, which avoids having to wait on the line.” Info-Sante 811 handles about 2 million calls annually — roughly 7,000 calls each day. Calls are answered by the first available nurse from one of 15 call centres across the province.
