Quebec Published The List Of Businesses That Are Staying Open

In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Premier François Legault announced that non-essential Quebec businesses would once again close their doors between December 25 and January 10, inclusively.

"The virus is still very present in Quebec," the premier said in a statement.

"Some of our hospitals are at the limit of their capacity."

Editor's Choice: Here's What You Need To Know About Quebec's New Holiday COVID-19 Measures

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With these measures, we are giving ourselves every chance to keep control in our hospitals.

Premier François Legault

"After many discussions with public health officials, with the Minister of Health, Mr. Christian Dubé, and with all ministers, I am announcing that we will take a holiday break."

The government followed up with the list of businesses it considers "priority" that are "authorized to operate" during this period.

They are:

• "pet food and supply stores;

• "medical, orthopaedic, and eye care goods stores;

• "work equipment stores (safety and protection);

• "household and building cleaning products stores;

• "stores that sell products, parts, and other material necessary for transportation and logistics services (garages for repairs only, not for sales by car dealers);

• "stores that sell products for farms, such as mechanical equipment, fertilizer, and so on;

• "computer and electronic equipment repair service stores;

• "convenience stores;

• "grocery stores and other food stores;

• "megastores";

• "drugstores;

• "hardware stores";

• "sports and outdoor recreational equipment repair and rental stores;

• "the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ)"; and

• "the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC)."

Both megastores and hardware stores will only be able to sell "essential" products, however.

"Store operators must ensure that the necessary steps are taken to prevent access to and the sale of other products," the government website states.

Legault called this restriction for megastores, like Costco and Walmart, "a matter of equity for small businesses."

"Professional healthcare services (dentists, optometrists, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and so on)" can also continue their activities.

As for shopping centres, the government says that "only traffic areas" can remain open so people can get to these priority businesses.

"Personal care services such as hairdressing, manicures, or spas," meanwhile, will be closed.

Business owners who consider their services essential and are not covered by this list are invited to fill out an online form with their questions.