These 3 Quebec cities will soon have stores stay open until 8 p.m. on weekends
CBC
How does being out shopping for clothes on a Saturday night sound?
The Quebec government has approved a pilot project to allow retail stores in three cities to stay open until 8 p.m. on weekends, and it wants to see how the change will affect consumers as well as employees.
The news release announcing the pilot project said it would begin at some point this summer, though a specific date wasn't provided.
Three cities were chosen for the experiment: Laval, which is just north of Montreal, Gatineau and Saint-Georges in the province's Chaudière-Appalaches region.
"With the growth of online shopping, the consumer habits of the Quebec population have changed," reads a statement from Quebec junior economy minister and MNA for Laval's Sainte-Rose riding Christopher Skeete.
"To remain competitive, our commercial establishments have to be able to adapt their business hours and the days they are open to take in more consumers."
Typically, grocery stores and restaurants are the only establishments in Quebec that remain open past 5 p.m. during weekends. The pilot project does not force stores to stay open until 8 p.m., but it gives them the option.
According to the statement, the three cities included in the pilot project were chosen for distinct reasons: the City of Gatineau's geographic proximity to Ontario, Laval's status as a retail hub and Saint-Georges as a symbol of a local economy that operates away from larger cities.
The pilot project would be evaluated when it's over and the Quebec government will determine if the measure should be expanded to the rest of the province.
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