Avleen K Mokha
The provincial government wants gatherings to be called off till August 31 to respect social distancing rules during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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In a directive issued earlier this afternoon (April 10), the province requests event organizers to suspend all events for the entire duration of the summer period.
This concerns both indoor and outdoor events. Types of gatherings include festivals, cultural, and major sporting events in the province.
“This directive is issued considering the evolution of the situation of COVID-19 in Quebec and the need to respect in particular the physical distance measure of two meters for an extended period,” the directive said.
“We have an extraordinary power of attracting visitors from all places,” Caroline Proulx, the Minister of tourism, said in a press release (French only). “These events are part of our culture, our way of living.”
“The government of Quebec has made a difficult but necessary decision,” Proulx continued. “We are conscious of the consequences this has for [event] organizers and thank them for their collective effort.”
The directive says the government plans to explore various forms of support for festivals and events that it finances through its departments and programs.
