Premier François Legault announced that as of February 26, Quebec’s movie theatres, indoor pools and indoor sports complexes would reopen, including in red zones, just in time for spring break.

The premier also said outdoor winter activities in Quebec — previously limited to four individuals from different addresses — can soon be carried out by a group of up to eight individuals from different households.

Families will be able to do indoor sports together in sports facilities, as will groups of two people, he said. 

People are also not prohibited from renting cottages or hotels in other regions, but Legault said it’s “not ideal.”

He said that if people do travel within the province, police have been tasked with ensuring they respect the two major rules: staying within their family bubble and the curfew. 

While Legault said the new COVID-19 measures are intended to “accommodate” parents during spring break, he discouraged grandparents from babysitting during students’ time off.

“It’s really not a good idea for kids to be watched by their grandparents,” Legault said. 

He also emphasized the importance of avoiding gatherings in homes.  

“We don’t want to see what happened during the holidays where we see an explosion in the number of cases because people are gathering,” he said. 

Outaouais is the only Quebec region that will be changing from a red zone to an orange zone within the next couple of weeks due to its “stable” COVID-19 situation.