Quebec Premier François Legault announced today that Montreal and Laval will remain red zones for an additional week.
The shift to orange was originally expected to happen on May 31 but has now been delayed until at least June 7. That means restaurant dining rooms and gyms will not be able to reopen in these areas. This also means you cannot invite anyone over to dine inside your home so long as your region is in a red zone.
Parts of the Eastern Townships, Chaudière-Applaches, and Bas-St-Laurent regions will also remain red zones but most other regions including the Montérégie, Quebec City, the Outaouais, and the Laurentians will move to the orange zone as of Monday, May 31.
“We’re seeing a decrease in cases and hospitalizations,” said the premier in French. “The rate of positivity is 2.3%, compared to Ontario’s of 6.2%, we’re doing very well.”
Legault went on to say that while the “situation is improving” in Montreal and Laval, he believes an additional week is needed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
While some areas will remain red zones, outdoor dining in restaurants and outdoor gatherings in private spaces for groups of eight (from two households) will still be allowed as of this Friday, May 28. In addition to this, the curfew will also be lifted this Friday.