Quebec construction holiday: Police to increase surveillance on roads, trails and waterways

MONTREAL -

With construction holidays beginning in a few hours in Quebec, provincial police say they are set to  will increase interventions on the road network, waterways and trails.

This year, Quebec's construction commission announced that the summer vacation for most construction workers will begin on July 18 at 12:01 a.m. and end on July 31 in the late evening.

However, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) special operation will start Friday and last until Aug. 1 under the theme 'Safety doesn't take a vacation.'

Police are reminding people that road safety and recreational tourism rules must be applied all year round, even during vacations.

The number of fatal and harmful collisions in Quebec tend to rise during vacation periods, according to SQ observations in past years.

During last year's summer vacation, eight people lost their lives in collisions on Quebec highways, seven fewer than in 2019.

It's not just construction workers who take time off during the traditional construction break. The SQ reports that about one-third of Quebecers take time off work during this period, which significantly increases travel on the road network.

Moreover, this year, due to the pandemic, a significant amount of traffic is expected on the roads as most Quebecers will spend their vacations in their own region.

The public can follow the Sûreté du Québec on social media to find out more about various police operations during the summe break.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 15, 2021.

 10:56 AND 15-07-21