Montreal’s Dining Rooms Will Not Be Among Those Reopening in Quebec on May 31

Montreal restaurants will not be welcoming diners indoors until at least June 7, Premier François Legault said in a press briefing earlier today (May 25).

As previously announced, they will, however, be permitted to open their terrasses as of Friday, May 28, along with the rest of the province. The nightly curfew is also being lifted on that day.

Legault had previously said that most of Quebec was expected to transition to the orange tier on its coronavirus alert scale on May 31, meaning indoor dining rooms would be reopening, but today he confirms that Montreal and neighbouring Laval aren’t part of that majority. While the situation is improving in these areas, after discussing with public health authorities, he’s decided to be “prudent” and keep them in the red tier for at least an additional week.

If the trend in coronavirus case numbers remains stable, “all regions should turn orange on June 7,” Legault said.

Quebec City, Outaouais, Montérégie, Lanaudière, and the Laurentians are among the regions moving to the orange zone on May 31, where restaurants can resume indoor service with restrictions. These include limiting tables to either a maximum of two adults from a different address (with or without their minor-age children) or residents from the same home.

• Montreal Restaurant Terrasses Allowed to Open on May 28 [EMTL]