As restrictions continue to loosen in Quebec, we are seeing the government slowly starting to reopen activities and events in Montreal to help improve its social and economic development.
On Tuesday of this week, the government announced that they would be relaxing certain restrictions surrounding public gatherings, in light of the NHL playoffs sparking cultural excitement in the city.
Health Minister Christian Dubé announced that bars and restaurants are now permitted to stay open until 2am, and can continue to serve alcohol until midnight. This decision was made to reduce the possibility of private gatherings and would encourage the public to enjoy the game from a bar, where measures are put in place.
In addition, as of Thursday of this week, festivals and events are permitted to increase the maximum seating capacity to 3,500 people (250 per section, 14 sections minimum). This means that the Bell Centre will now be expanding its seating capacity to 3,500 people; just in time for Friday’s Las Vegas Golden Knights vs. Montreal Canadiens playoff game.
According to CTV News, “the Montreal Canadiens formally requested an increase in capacity at the Bell Centre for home games during the playoffs now that the Habs have reached the semifinals.”
On Monday, June 21st, four more Quebec regions will be moved to green zones: Mauricie and Center-du-Québec, Bas-Saint-Laurent, and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
