More than 100 surgeries have been postponed in Quebec over the past six months because of staffing shortages in units responsible for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing reusable surgical instruments, Santé Québec confirms. As of April 1, 2026, 109 surgeries had been postponed across the province because of staff shortages in medical device reprocessing units (URDM). “Challenges related to staff recruitment and retention in medical device reprocessing units have existed for several years in Quebec health-care facilities,” a Santé Québec spokesperson told CTV News. “Efforts are underway to improve recruitment, promote retention, and address the working conditions of these teams, whose work is essential to patient safety, particularly in the context of surgical procedures.” More recently, 35 surgeries were postponed at Pierre-Le Gardeur Hospital in Terrebonne, located in the Lanaudière region, between Sept. 30 and Oct. 9. The affected procedures included ophthalmology, plastic surgery, orthopedics, gynecology, and general surgery. “The affected cases were rescheduled for a later date and given priority,” Santé Québec said. The health agency wouldn’t say which other hospitals were recently affected. It added that the situation in medical device reprocessing units remains generally stable across the province, although some facilities are more affected than others. “The management of urgent surgeries remains a priority. When the situation requires it, various options are evaluated to ensure the continuity of services and to limit, as much as possible, surgery postponements and their impact on wait times,” Santé Québec said. “The situation continues to be closely monitored, and teams remain mobilized to ensure the continuity of services and to respond quickly when issues arise. The measures in place are designed to minimize the impact on surgical activities as much as possible.”
