Quebec delays reopening of businesses in Montreal until May 18

Non-essential stores and businesses in the Montreal area will have to wait at least one extra week to welcome customers, Quebec Premier Francois Legault said in a May 4 press conference, due to continuing high hospitalization numbers that have pushed back the planned reopening from May 11 to May 18.

But the construction and manufacturing sectors across Quebec will reopen as scheduled on May 11, Legault said.

Legault said the majority of Quebec’s 1,772 hospitalized patients are in Montreal, leading to tight situations in some hospitals. More than 60 per cent of deaths in the province have occurred in long-term care homes, however there have also been outbreaks in hospitals and in some Montreal neighbourhoods, including Montreal-Nord in the province’s north end.

Most retail stores outside the Montreal were allowed to reopen their doors on May 4 as planned, as long as they have dedicated entrances to the outside.

As of May 4, Quebec has reported a total of 2,280 deaths related to COVID-19 and 32,623 confirmed cases of the virus.