Montreal’s restaurants, bars, and clubs are staging a symbolic reopening of Saturday after a devastating closure that has lasted for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reopening event aims to allow the public to rediscover the well-tended places and dining rooms they used to enjoy before the pandemic.
Participating business staff members and will handed gift certificates and other surprises to those passing by. All those partaking in the activity are required to wear a mask and follow other public health orders. The organizers of the event say they have already notified the city officials.
Quebec Premier, Francois Legault on Tuesday announced that they may soon allow restaurants and bars to operate if the COVID-19 number across the province continues to improve.
“We hope that in the next few weeks we will bring many zones to orange so that we can open restaurants in May.”
Two groups of licensed Quebec establishment sent a letter to Legault last week requesting him to allow bars and restaurants in the province to reopen to customers who have already received at least a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The letter argued that the easing of restriction would allow the bars and restaurants industry.
“It really seems that our industry has fallen into oblivion. Our industry simply can’t take it anymore.”
A coalition representing over 10, 000 restaurants in Quebec has also asked Public Health to release a timeline for reopening so they can get ready for summer.
“We’ve always been told that when cases are under 500, they’ll let us reopen the interiors and I think we’re a few weeks away from that.”
However, Quebec Public Health spokesperson says that the infection rate is still high. The variants are also circulating fast and could force restaurants to shut again weeks after reopening.
The symbolic event is scheduled to take place from 12 pm to 2 pm. The businesses participating in the event include Chez Levesque, Les Enfants Terribles, Chez Alexandre, Joe Beef, Le Mousso, Montreal Plaza, Stogies, Pied de Cochon, Chez Luigi, Homard Fou, Europea, Jardin Nelson among others.
