Quebec to Extend Store Opening Hours Across Province
The Quebec government is set to roll out a province-wide extension of a pilot project that will enable retail businesses to keep their doors open later on weekends. This initiative will permit various retail establishments, including shops, boutiques, and hardware stores, to operate daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., except on public holidays.
Presently, retail businesses offering products have been required to close by 5 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays. However, this latest move will offer greater flexibility to businesses and customers alike.
Following a successful trial period in three cities—Gatineau, Laval, and Saint-Georges—where businesses voluntarily extended their weekend hours until 8 p.m., the Minister Delegate for the Economy and Small and Medium Enterprises, Samuel Poulin, has announced plans to expand this project across all municipalities in Quebec.
Poulin emphasized the importance of supporting local businesses and providing them with the freedom to cater to their customers’ needs. He highlighted that Quebec is unique in North America for imposing restrictions on business operating hours and stressed the necessity of empowering entrepreneurs.
The proposed regulation for the project extension will be released for public consultation for 45 days starting on Wednesday, allowing stakeholders to provide feedback.
It is worth noting that food stores and pharmacies, which already have exemptions from operating hour restrictions, will not be impacted by these changes.
In a separate initiative, Quebec is concurrently running a pilot project to extend the operating hours of stores selling erotic products until 11 p.m. daily.
Keyphrase: Quebec store hours extension
