Quebec could lift vaccine passport requirement at SAQs, SQDCs, big-box stores: report
According to reports from Radio-Canada, Quebec Premier François Legault could announce certain COVID-19 vaccine passport requirements as early as Tuesday afternoon.
Citing its own sources, Radio-Canada says the government is considering lifting the vaccine passport at big-box retail stores like Canadian Tire and Walmart, as well as at its provincial SAQs (Société des alcools du Québec) and SQDCs (Société québécoise du cannabis).
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If the announcement is made, it would be a rather quick turnaround of the mandate. Provincial liquor stores and cannabis shops initiated enforcing the vaccine pass on January 4, and big-box stores began across the province on January 24.
The French report says, “everything will depend on the recommendation that will be sent to the government on Monday evening by the interim Director of Public Health, Dr. Luc Boileau.”
In initiated, the decision would be Quebec’s first suspension of its vaccine passport.
Radio-Canada says the passports would likely remain in place at restaurants, gyms, and venues across the province.
On Friday, Health Minister Christian Dubé said it was possible the province’s vaccine passport system could be suspended entirely, only to be revisited during the next wave of COVID-19 in the fall, if necessary.
Over the past week, several Canadian provinces have announced they would be ending the proof of vaccination requirement, among all other COVID-19 mandates. Alberta abolished its passport system last week, and Saskatchewan will stop enforcing it as of today. Manitoba announced on Friday it would no longer require proof of vaccination as of March 1.