Canadian Blood Services calling for donors amid serious drop in supply

The agency manages the blood supply in all provinces except Quebec.

A spokesperson for Héma-Quebec says it is has also seen a decline in blood donations since the end of June.

“Héma-Québec needs approximately 1,000 blood donations every day to meet the needs of patients across the province,” Patrice Lavoie said in an email on Wednesday.

“Summer is traditionally a more fragile period for the blood supply. Many regular donors are on vacation or simply forget to book an appointment,” he said.

Canadian Blood Services said it needs about 18,000 blood donations a week to keep pace with hospital demand throughout the rest of the country, but there has been a shortfall of between 1,500 and 2,500 appointments each week.

“Blood has a shelf life of only 42 days, so today’s donation will quickly make its way to a patient,” said spokesperson Ron Vezina in a news release on Wednesday.

“We need to ensure hospitals have the blood they need for everyday care and emergencies, especially as we head into the August long weekend when trauma cases and other urgent care needs could see an increase.”

Canadian Blood Services said it is adding more opportunities for people to donate blood, including more weekend appointments at its centres. In addition, several plasma-specific donor centres will accept whole blood donations.

People can book donation appointments at blood.ca, on the GiveBlood app or by calling 1-888-2-DONATE.

In Quebec, people can book appointments through hemaquebec.ca.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2026.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Canadian Blood Services calling for donors amid serious drop in supply

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