Here is a breakdown of what's reopening in Quebec
As expected, provinces are beginning to announce their plans to lift public health restrictions as the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is subsiding after peaking in early January.
On Feb. 8, Quebec Premier François Legault revealed the province’s plan to reopen, much to the relief of businesses and citizens alike after two years of the coronavirus pandemic. He said with hospitalizations declining, public health signed off on removing restrictions as a "calculated risk" and that Quebecers will have to "learn to live with the virus."
Since the announcement, the province has announced other changes to the reopening plan, including the phasing out of the vaccine passport by March 12 and the face mask mandate by "mid-April." However, the province recommends people hold onto their proof of vaccination in case it is still needed for domestic and international travel.
Here’s a breakdown of Quebec’s plan to lift more lockdown measures in the weeks ahead.
FEB. 7
- Cinemas, concert halls and indoor events can operate at 50 per cent capacity or a maximum of 500 people. Proof of vaccination is required and there is no intermission allowed.
- Drive-in theatres can operate with cars parked a minimum of one metre apart and a maximum of 5,000 people per show.
- Concert halls and indoor event venues can operate at 50 per cent capacity. Proof of vaccination required. Outdoor events can operate with a 1,000 person capacity.
- Places of worship will be permitted to operate with a 50 per cent capacity and a maximum of 250 people. Proof of vaccination required.
- Funerals are permitted with a maximum of 50 people. No proof of vaccination is required.
FEB. 12
- No limit for private gatherings, though the recommendation is to keep it at 10 people or people from three households
- Restaurants can seat up to 10 people or people from three different addresses per table
- All caregivers can visit a loved one in a group home with a vaccine passport
FEB. 14
- Gyms and spas can reopen at 50 per cent capacity
- Indoor sports and recreation activities, as well as games, can resume for everyone, including college and university sports (change rooms are limited to 50 per cent capacity)
- Competitions and tournaments remain prohibited
- Indoor golf facilities and climbing gyms can open at 50 per cent capacity
- Outdoor shows can host up to 5,000 people
FEB. 16
- The vaccine passport will no longer be required for big box stores (larger than 1,500 square metres), SAQ stores, and SQDC stores
FEB. 21
- The vaccine passport will no longer be required for places of worship and funerals
- Places of worship can accommodate up to 500 people, up from the maximum of 250
- All stores will be allowed to open at 100 per cent capacity
- Amphitheatres can operate at 50 per cent capacity
- Theatres and showrooms will be allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity, including the Bell Centre and the Videotron Centre
- Reopening of recreation centres, such as arcades, water parks, amusement parks, at 50 per cent capacity
- Conventions and assemblies can resume at half capacity or max. of 500 people
- Social events in a rented room can accommodate up to 50 people with a vaccine passport
- Wakes or viewings of ashes of a loved can allow a maximum of 50 people at a time
FEB. 28
- Teleworking will no longer be mandatory, but is still recommended
- Restaurants must close by 1 a.m. and respect last call for alcohol at midnight
- Bars, pool halls and casinos can open with 50 per cent capacity, but with no dancing and karaoke and they must close by 1 a.m. and respect last call for alcohol at midnight (everyone must be seated)
- Places of worship and showrooms can open at 100 per cent capacity
- Sports competitions and tournaments will be allowed with no participant limits
- Theatres, cinemas, and some sports venues can operate at full capacity (except for venues with more than 10,000 people)
MARCH 7
- Face maks will no longer be mandatory in schools or daycares when seated
MARCH 12
- All public places can operate at 100 per cent capacity
- The vaccine passport will no longer be required in places where it was previously mandatory
- Bars can allow dancing and karaoke
- Restrictions on seating at tables in restaurants, bars, tavers, and casinos will be lifted, and they can operate under normal operating hours
- "Activities in a social nature" in a rented room can resume normally without capacity limits
- Private seniors' residences will no longer need to keep a registry of visitors
MID-APRIL
- The face mask mandate will be lifted across Quebec by "mid-April" except for public transportation, Quebec announced on March 2. A specific date was not provided.
EARLY MAY
- Face masks will be no longer mandatory on public tansport "at the earliest in May," according to the province. A specific date was not provided.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Actions speak louder: What experts are saying about the body language in the U.S. presidential debate
The highly anticipated debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was a heated matchup that revealed plenty about their plans for America's future, if elected. Here's what experts who analyzed the exchange had to say.
'Buy nothing': PSAC wants federal workers to boycott downtown Ottawa businesses
A union representing federal employees is asking its members to bring their own lunch to work, in an apparent retaliation against downtown Ottawa businesses as new return-to-office protocols begin.
Inside a Manitoba ghost town, a group of ladies work to keep it alive
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.
Carnival cruise ship collides with iceberg
The words 'Titanic moment' are possibly the last thing you want to hear on a boat – but that was the phrase used by one passenger on board the Carnival Spirit cruise ship last week, after the vessel unexpectedly struck an iceberg.
Dollarama sales peak in second quarter: A sign more Canadians are shopping at discount stores to make ends meet
Montreal-based discount retailer, Dollarama, reported a growth in profit and sales in the second quarter, signalling more Canadians are looking for a deal as the cost of living remains high.
Trudeau says he 'can't wait' to get into it with Poilievre in Parliament
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he 'can't wait' to get back to Ottawa to get into it with Pierre Poilievre in the House of Commons, as he makes the case to his own party to put up a united front against the Conservatives.
Man, 70, and woman, 71, found shot dead in Montreal apartment, police
Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating after a man, 70, and woman, 71, were killed by gunshot wounds in an apartment.
Trump suggests he won't debate Harris again, attacks ABC over moderators' fact-checking
The morning after Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s first presidential debate, it is far from clear if Trump will agree to a rematch.
'I'm not going to listen to you': Singh rejects Poilievre's push for early election, sets sights on progressive policy
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will focus on advancing progressive policies, amid renewed pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to help him bring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal minority government down when Parliament resumes next week.