WHAT'S OPEN AND CL OSED OVER THE NEW YEAR'S LONG WEEKEND
Here's a partial list of what's open and closed through this weekend.
■ Provincial government offices, such as Revenue Quebec, are closed until Monday.
■ There will be no mail delivery or collection by Canada Post on Friday.
■ Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Quebec government has ordered all non-essential businesses in the province to close from Dec. 25 to Jan. 10. Essential businesses permitted to stay open include food retailers, banks, hardware stores, convenience stores, pet stores, gas stations and pharmacies, and only for essential supplies. Only traffic areas can be opened in shopping centres, to ensure access to businesses that are not affected by the closures.
■ Municipal offices are closed until Monday, inclusively.
■ Municipal courts are closed through Monday. No applications for stays of execution will be heard before Tuesday.
■ The collection schedule for garbage, bulky items, recyclables and composting has changed during the holiday season. Check with your borough.
■ Natural Christmas trees will be collected in January in the 19 boroughs.
■ Montreal's ecocentres are closed through Monday.
■ All parking restrictions and parking meters remain in effect. However, metered parking downtown and around Plaza St-hubert remains free on weekends and after 6 p.m.
■ La Grande Bibliothèque is closed until Jan. 2. When open it offers only no-contact lending, returning and sign-up services.
■ The Biodome and Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium are closed due to the pandemic. The outdoor areas of the Botanical Garden are accessible for walking and cross-country skiing.
■ All applications emailed to the city of Montreal's housing department, municipal court and property assessment department during the holidays will be accepted, but will be processed starting Tuesday.
■ STM buses will run on a modified schedule on Friday and Saturday. See stm.info for details. Adapted transit will have extended hours through Saturday. It will be possible to travel until 4 a.m. (scheduled time of arrival at destination). Rides must be requested at least 24 hours in advance.
■ Exo's trains, buses and adapted transit services will be free on Thursday and Friday. Train and bus lines will all run on Saturday schedules on Jan. 1-2, meaning no service on the Mascouche, Candiac and St-hilaire lines. The Deux- Montagnes/ Bois- Franc rail shuttle closes for good after Thursday. All Exo buses will also operate on a reduced schedule on Thursday, with 65 to 75 per cent of normal service.
■ The Société de transport de Laval will operate on a Saturday schedule on Thursday and Saturday, and a reduced Sunday schedule on Friday. Bus rides will be free on Thursday.
■ The Réseau de transport de Longueuil will operate on a Saturday schedule on Thursday and Saturday and a Sunday schedule on Friday. Service will be free for children 11 and younger (no more than five, accompanied by an adult) from Thursday to Saturday. Regular trips on adapted transit are cancelled through Saturday, so clients must request all rides. Adapted transit service will operate on Saturday hours during this period.
■ Most bank branches will be closed on Friday. Check with your bank for its holiday schedule.
■ The Société des alcools du Québec says to check hours for individual locations on Saq.com.
■ Société québécoise du cannabis locations will be closed Friday, and open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday.
■ Montreal's public Atwater, Jean-talon and Maisonneuve markets will be closed on Friday and Saturday. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday.