City working on outdoor Finals viewing options for Habs fans: Plante

MONTREAL -

Montreal is gearing up for the Habs' first Stanley Cup Final in 28 years, but one question is lingering over the excitement: how will celebrations be affected by pandemic public health rules?

On Sunday, Mayor Valerie Plante tweeted that the city is “working very hard on different scenarios that would allow CH fans to see the Finals matches outdoors and in complete safety.”

Depuis jeudi dernier, et l’accession de nos @CanadiensMTL à la finale de la @StanleyCup, nous travaillons très fort sur différents scénarios qui permettraient aux partisans du CH de voir les matchs de la finale, à l’extérieur et en toute sécurité. #polmtl 1/3

— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) June 27, 2021

Plante said no plans could yet be formally announced as approval from public health is still needed.

“The enthusiasm for the final and a first Cup in 28 years would certainly cause large gatherings, which are still not allowed by authorities, despite becoming a green zone,” she wrote.

On Monday, Montreal, along with the rest of the province, will be redesignated as having a COVID-19 alert level of green, the lowest level. However, that still comes with restrictions on the size of outdoor gatherings.

Plante said representatives of the Canadiens had told city hall officials that the team doesn't have the logistical and financial resources to organize screenings, so the city is “continuing to work with other partners to find solutions that will please fans while respecting health rules.”

A spokesperson for Groupe CH, the Canadiens' parent company, told CTV News that the team will not organize any mass viewings of the Habs games against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

““Should Public Health Authorities approve of these initiatives, we can facilitate this by providing contacts of different suppliers/stakeholders to the City of Montreal, as we have already done. But the Montreal Canadiens will not organize this as we have our hands full right now,” they wrote in an email.