What and when: Quebec's complete COVID-19 restriction loosening timeline

Quebec is moving forward with a full reopening plan that includes the lifting of mask mandates and no longer enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine passport system.

Earlier in February, the Quebec government outlined its reopening plan for restaurants, bars, venues, and activities.

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On Wednesday, Premier François Legault announced that Quebec will be lifting the mask requirement across the province in mid-April and for public transit in May.

During a Thursday press conference, Quebec’s interim director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, says Quebecers can feel “a good dose of optimism” following the news and that public health doesn’t expect the loosened measures to affect hospitalizations.

Since the loosening of restrictions can be a bit confusing across so many sectors, here’s a timeline of what’s being lifted and when across Quebec over the next two months.

Face masks:

• The Quebec government says the end of mandating face masks in all public places (excluding public transit) will happen “no later than mid-April.”
• Public transit will lift obligatory face masks “at the earliest in May.”

Vaccine passports:

• As of March 12, people in Quebec will no longer need to present a COVID-19 vaccine passport to access restaurants, bars, casinos, taverns, cinemas, events, shows, sporting events, assemblies, congresses, conferences, ceremonies, special places (arcades, sites theme parks, amusement centres and parks, amusement centres, recreation centres, water parks), sports, recreation, spas, saunas, and private venues.

CHSLDs (long-term care homes):

• As of March 12, CHSLDs can remove the signature registry for visitors.

Restaurants, bars, casinos:

• As of March 12, no more capacity limits at restaurants, bars, and casinos.

Public events:

• As of March 12, dance floors will reopen, karaoke and dancing can resume, and there will no longer be a capacity limit at outdoor events.

Sports, gyms & spas:

• As of March 12, sports, gyms, and spas will no longer have to function with capacity limits or ask customers to register/sign-in.