Montreal restaurants to reopen June 22, indoor gatherings to be allowed

This afternoon the Quebec government announced that Montreal restaurants can reopen as of Monday, June 22, with physical distancing, masks and capacity limits in place. Quebec restaurants outside of Montreal, Joliette and the town of l’Epiphanie will be able to reopen a week earlier, on June 15. This new affects 22,000 restaurants that hold permits for on-site food-preparation, but does not include bars. The provincial government also announced new guidelines for indoor gatherings across Quebec, involving 10 people from three households — the same dates as the restaurants apply.

Jean Boulet, Quebec’s Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity, explained that new guidelines include the disinfection of table, chairs and menus between each client, the frequent disinfection of counters and door handles in common areas, the wearing of procedural masks and eye protection by staff if physical distancing can’t be respected and, when possible, the placement of menus on wall-mounted screens to reduce the handling of menus. Roughly 1,000 inspection agents across Quebec will be able to assist restaurants with these new safety measures.

There will be a list of daily check-offs to make sure workers don’t have any symptoms of COVID-19. Restaurants can also expect specific guidelines about the number of clients allowed in restaurants and on terrasses, depending on their size, to maintain a distance of two metres between clients.

Quebec senior health advisor Dr. Richard Massé announced that gatherings inside homes will be allowed in Quebec — like the guidelines for outdoor gatherings, a maximum of 10 people from three households will be allowed. As Premier Legault noted in an earlier press conference today, this new rule for gatherings is being introduced simultaneously with the restaurant announcement so that people with tighter budgets don’t have to pay to meet with family members or friends.

For more about the Montreal restaurant scene before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, see our Food & Drink section.

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For the latest COVID-19 / Coronavirus info and statistics for Montreal and Quebec, please visit the Santé Quebéc website.