Premier François Legault announced Wednesday 3 February 2021 that the reopening of major small businesses in the Province of Quebec will commence Monday next week, in what he termed a “small deconfinement.”
According to Andy Riga who writes for Montreal Gazette, the situation in Quebec has improved considerably in recent weeks, but hospitals are still struggling, with 34 percent of surgeries in the province postponed.
In a press conference held on Wednesday afternoon, Legault informed the media that everyone had to remain incredibly careful.
“We can only lift certain measures, very gradually.
“As of Monday, non-essential stores, as well as hair and beauty salons, libraries and museums can reopen across the province.” He spoke.
Also, Legault said the government will soon announce plans to allow publicly funded post-secondary education pre‑university, collegiate technical college exclusive to the province of Quebec’s education system, and university students to return to classrooms at least once per week.
Nearly All of Quebec, including Montreal, will still be on red alert (Level 4) as on Monday. It is estimated that at least 90 percent of the province’s population regions are in red zones.
As Covid-19 cases drop in the regions of Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec, more restrictions will be lifted in these six regions that are moving to orange alert (Level 3).
However, restaurants and gyms will be allowed to reopen, with restrictions, as of Monday. The curfew will also be relaxed there – it will run from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For the rest of Quebec, the nightly curfew will continue to start at 8 p.m.
The government has provided a breakdown of the health measures that will apply as of Monday, Feb. 8