As of Saturday, July 18, people 12 and over must wear a mask or face cover in several indoor public spaces, including retail stores, throughout Québec. The public will be prohibited from accessing and moving around the following places without wearing a face covering:
Retail businesses
Service companies (eg. pharmacies)
The private practices of professionals
The places where municipal or government services are offered
Personal care companies (e.g. hairdressers, beauty care)
Shopping centres
Places of worship
Cinemas, concert halls, etc.
The places used to host events, such as congresses and conferences
All common areas of establishments, in particular those of office buildings (e.g. entrance halls, elevators and corridors)
Schools (except primary and secondary schools), colleges and universities
Public transport.
Wearing a mask is strongly discouraged for children under 2 years of age. For children 2 to 12 years old, wearing a face cover is highly recommended, but not mandatory, inside the places listed.
As of July 18, a citizen who chooses not to comply with this new directive will not be able to access the establishment concerned. However, the government wants the cooperation of citizens and merchants, who have responded very well to the imposition of measures by public health authorities since the start of the pandemic.
At the present time, the Québec government is counting on citizens to voluntarily comply with the directive to wear masks in public places, instead of instantly imposing fines on individuals who do not comply.
