As the province prepares for the Easter weekend, congé pascal marks an inflection point for service hours across Quebec: many services and establishments will either close or run on reduced schedules.
Congé Pascal: What opens and what closes?
Across the province, the general pattern is a mixture of closures and reduced hours for the holiday. The broad facts available are:
- Several services and establishments will be closed or will reduce their opening hours for Good Friday.
- Most provincial transport networks will continue to offer service but will operate on reduced schedules; travellers are advised to verify schedules with local transport providers before travelling.
- Quebecers will have opportunities for recreational and cultural activities during the congé pascal.
How the SQDC will adjust services
The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) will adopt a modified schedule for both its network of physical stores and its online services. The network comprises 110 points of sale with individual opening hours specific to each location. The SQDC website will remain available throughout the holiday, though delivery times will vary depending on the chosen service. Online chat support will be available on Friday, Saturday and Monday under regular hours, but the chat service will not be available on Sunday. The SQDC customer relations centre will operate its usual hours except on Sunday when it will be closed. The SQDC has also published its most recent financial results for the relevant quarter, showing a reported net and comprehensive result for that period.
What transit and local services will look like in one city
The City of Shawinigan has published its local schedule for the Easter weekend. The facts for Shawinigan are:
- City Hall: closed on Friday and closed on Monday.
- All public libraries: open on Friday and Saturday; closed on Sunday and Monday.
- RTCS transit services (regular and adapted): will operate during the congé pascal, with the Sunday schedule applied on Friday, Sunday and Monday.
Municipal communications in Shawinigan will be sent through the city messaging channel; residents are reminded to ensure contact information on file is current for those notifications.
The pattern emerging from these announcements is consistent: government-operated retailers and municipal services will vary between closures and reduced operations, while transit systems will continue to provide service on adjusted timetables. This creates a predictable but changed operating environment for residents and visitors during congé pascal.
Given the constraints of available information, uncertainty remains around specific store-level hours beyond the high-level points provided here. Readers should consult the named institutions for location-specific schedules when planning travel or errands. In the meantime, plan for altered hours and the possibility of delayed deliveries during congé pascal.
