Uncertainty in Quebec as premier expected to announce strict lockdown across province
Quebec may order "non-essential" manufacturers and the construction sector to close and extend the current closure of schools.
Employers and workers in Quebec’s construction, manufacturing and education sectors expect to find out late on Jan. 6 how Quebec’s new lockdown rules will affect them.
Premier Francois Legault is scheduled to hold his first press conference of the new year at 5 p.m., after meeting with opposition leaders on Jan. 5.
According to multiple reports, the province may, for the first time since the spring, order “non-essential” manufacturers and the construction sector to close and extend the current closure of schools.
Heidi Yetman, president of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, says it’s frustrating for teachers not to know whether they’ll be teaching in-person or remotely when classes resume Jan. 4.
Quebec has reported more than 2,000 new infections every day since Dec. 20.
As of Jan. 5, there were 1,317 people in hospital — the highest number since late May — and 194 people in intensive care. Quebec has reported 215,358 cases of COVID-19 and 8,441 deaths linked to the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.
