On February 8th, the Quebec government announced the gradual removal of nearly all COVID-19 restrictions. The only restrictions to remain after March 14th will be the vaccine passport and mask mandates.
“We will need to learn to live with the virus. There may be a sixth wave eventually, but we will have to live with COVID," Premier François Legault said.
TIMETABLE OF REOPENING
FEBRUARY 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.
FEBRUARY 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
FEBRUARY 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
FEBRUARY 16
- Vaccination passport no longer needed at SAQ, SQDC or big box stores
FEBRUARY 21
- All stores will be allowed to open at 100 per cent capacity
- Places of worship can accommodate up to 500 people, up from the maximum of 250
- 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
- Vaccination passport no longer needed at funeral homes and places of worship
FEBRUARY 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 12
- Bars can allow dancing and karaoke at 100 per cent capacity
- Restaurants, showrooms, and large venues, such as the Bell Centre and Videotron Centre, can reopen at full capacity
- "Activities in a social nature" in a rented room can resume normally without capacity limits as long as everyone has a vaccine passport or a maximum of 20 people without the vaccine passport
- Places of worship, funerals, wakes, weddings: 100 per cent capacity or a maximum of 50 people at a time without a vaccine passport
- Large venues and arenas with more than 10,000 people can operate at full capacity
- Vaccination passport requirement lifted completely across Quebec