Quebec premier will wait until next week before giving recommendations on Christmas gatherings
Premier Francois Legault says he’s not making public health recommendations about Christmas gatherings just yet.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Legault said he will await recommendations due next week from director of public health Dr. Horacio Arruda before making any announcements about how many people Quebecers will be allowed to celebrate the season with this year.
The Tuesday conference was primarily to discuss how the province plans to mitigate the labour shortage. Legault used the occasion to clarify a statement he’d made Monday regarding a possible easing of restrictions on gatherings over the holiday period.
“What I said yesterday is I hope personally we can increase the amount, the number of people in houses from 10 to 20 (or) 25," he said.
"I hope so. But we'll have recommendations from Dr. Arruda next week, so I will follow the recommendations of Dr. Arruda."
Quebec officials had recently shown some optimism about family and friends getting together for the holidays now that children under 12 are eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations. But concerns about the new Omicron variant, as well as an increase in cases in Quebec in recent days, may have dashed those hopes.
Quebec reported 784 new cases on Tuesday, down from highs late last week not seen in months, with 1,037 new cases reported on Nov. 26 and 1,171 the following day.
The first case of the Omicron variant was reported in Quebec on Monday.
Legault said he would also make recommendations about travel restrictions following the advice of public health.
“I like it very much when Quebecers stay in Quebec. My first choice is to see Quebecers staying here visiting the regions like Charlevoix," he said.
"It's a decision coming from public health and I will follow the recommendation of public health."
In the meantime, Montreal public health officials are set to hold a news conference Wednesday with an update on COVID-19 in the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.