Laval hospital IT outage prompts emergency diversions and regionwide service disruptions
Major IT outage is disrupting hospitals across Laval, Laurentides and Lanaudière, with Cité de la Santé emergency advised only for immediate life or limb cases as ambulances are rerouted
A major Laval hospital IT outage is affecting computer and telephone systems at multiple health facilities and forcing ambulance diversions away from Hôpital de la Cité de la Santé, officials say. Health authorities are advising residents to avoid the Cité de la Santé emergency department unless they have a condition that requires immediate intervention. The outage includes a telephone failure at several Laval sites and a broader internet breakdown that spans Laval, the Laurentides and Lanaudière regions.
Emergency triage advisory at Hôpital de la Cité de la Santé
The integrated health authority in Laval asked the public to refrain from going to the Cité de la Santé emergency department except for situations that demand immediate care. The advisory was posted on the CISSS de Laval Facebook page as technicians and managers work to assess the extent of the disruption. Hospital staff are focusing on critical patients while non-urgent visits are being redirected where possible.
Technical failures include phone outage and fibre break
Union leaders and municipal officials described two distinct failures contributing to the broader problem, one affecting telephony and the other internet connectivity. Karine Miousse, president of the SIIAL CSQ union, reported a telephone outage hitting five Laval establishments alongside an internet interruption that spans the three regions. The City of Laval said the three regions are affected by a fiber optic break, a detail that points to infrastructure damage rather than an isolated internal systems error.
Ambulance routes and patient flow adjustments
Ambulances bound for the Laval hospital have been rerouted to other facilities while emergency teams manage the overflow and maintain critical services. Health authorities did not provide a full list of receiving hospitals but indicated that regional partners are coordinating patient transfers. Staff are relying on manual processes and temporary measures to track incoming patients while systems are offline.
Operational impacts across clinics and support services
Beyond emergency departments, the internet outage is disrupting administrative tasks, scheduling and non-urgent clinical services across hospitals and centres in the affected regions. Some outpatient appointments may be delayed or rescheduled as staff prioritize urgent and emergent care. Phone disruptions at multiple Laval sites are complicating public inquiries and appointment confirmations, prompting health managers to use alternate contact methods where available.
Statements from unions and municipal officials
The SIIAL CSQ expressed concern about the dual failure and emphasized the strain such incidents place on clinical teams already coping with high demand. Local union leadership called for clear communication and rapid restoration of systems to protect patient safety and staff capacity. The City of Laval confirmed the fiber optic issue and noted that technical teams are engaged in diagnosing and repairing the break, while municipal emergency services assist with coordination.
Recovery efforts and timelines remain uncertain
Health authorities and municipal technicians said they do not yet know when full service will be restored, and officials warned the situation is evolving. IT teams are working to isolate affected network segments and to bring back telephone connectivity to the five impacted sites as a priority. Contingency plans are in effect to maintain essential patient care while digital systems are offline.
The situation remains fluid and health officials advise the public to check official CISSS de Laval communications for updates and to seek emergency care only when absolutely necessary.
