while the smile reminds of stealth

Yesterday the Quebec government in the form of CAQ premier Francois Legault announced a reopening plan, perhaps a month delayed as compared to other provincial plans and behind other international jurisdictions. Below is the detailed plan that was announced. At the same time that this announcement was made, there have recently been protest manifestations in various parts of the country, including what is being called a siege in Ottawa and Canada/US border blockages at Windsor, ON and Coutts, AB. These protests are nominally concerning the requirement that truck drivers be vaccinated to do cross border driving, but broadly for all pandemic restrictions.

I am as keen as anyone to see pandemic restrictions rescinded, but not at the cost of healthcare systems being run over. Given all of the plan below there is still no mention of eliminating mask mandate or eliminating vaccine passports. Mask and passport requirements will be re-evaluated in March. Legault has indicated we need to 'learn to live with' COVID; and so there is a fair chance that this will be the end of lockdowns and restrictions as we've known them here in Quebec.

Of the plans indicated below the ones that personally affect me include being able to go to my local pool to swim laps effective Feb 14 and potentially going to attend NHL games as of March 14.

MEASURES BEING LIFTED IN QUEBEC

Feb. 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

Feb. 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

Feb. 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

Feb. 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 14:

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