The province of Quebec will finally be doing away with its mask mandates on July 18, exactly 666 days after the policy was first implemented..Dr. Luc Boileau, the province's interim director of public health, said Wednesday that hospitalizations and staff absences in the health-care system were on the decline, which informed his recommendation..He said the government of Quebec then accepted his suggestion to end the mask mandate. "The whole portrait is getting better," he said..As of now, Quebec is the only jurisdiction in North America that enforces the wearing of face coverings..On Saturday, Quebecers will not be forced to wear masks in schools and universities, gyms, stores, bars and restaurants, movie theatres and libraries. .Similar to other provinces, masks will remain mandatory in certain settings, such as public transportation, health care centres and seniors’ homes..According to public health, people who have recently contracted COVID-19 or who live with someone who has tested positive should still wear a mask for at least 10 days..Quebec became the first province to make indoor masking mandatory on July 18, 2020. Businesses could be fined up to $6,000 if they allowed customers to violate the mandate..The City of Montreal will also not be extending its COVID-19 state of emergency, which has been in place since December 2021. The city said that the improving COVID-19 situation and high vaccination rates means it is no longer necessary.
