Outaouais residents await extended, strengthened lockdown

Residents on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River will hear details today about further pandemic restrictions that could even include curfews,as the province tries to grapple with risingcases of COVID-19.

Premier Franois Legaultwill hold a news conference at 5 p.m. ET to announcehe's extending the lockdown, which was set to end Jan. 11, by three or four more weeks,and will limit people's outdoor activities to their family bubbles. Schools will remain closed to in-person learning an extra week or two.

He told opposition leaders Tuesday afternoon that no decision had yet been made on a recommendation by Quebec's public health agency to impose a curfew from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The provincial governmentestimates 30 per cent of Quebecersaren't listening to the current messagesto stay home except for essential trips, so strictermeasures are needed, Radio-Canada reported.

It remains to be seen whether checkpointsoninterprovincialbridges between Ottawa and Gatineauwill once again be among those measures.

Chelsea, Que., resident David Mason said rather than imposingsuch"autocratic" constraints on residents, the province should enforce rules already in place, and use positive messages instead of scolding people.

"It's almost as if we're little children," he said. "They need to treat us with respect and as adults."

Lockdown was to end Jan. 11

Non-essential businesses are already undera two-week lockdown that beganChristmas Day and was to end Jan. 11. Only grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, banks and pet stores remain open.

The Gatineau Chamber of Commerce saysthe provinceand other levels of government coulddo far more to help business owners weather theclosures by offering property tax breaks, for instance.

The instability of being ordered to close, then being allowed to reopen with conditions, then forced to close againleaves the chamber's interim president Stphane Bisson concerned local businesses won't survive.

An extended shutdown will certainly hurt, said Chantal Mcfaddenwho co-owns the Gatineau, Que.,gift and toy shop l'chelle du Mondewith her sister. She said it will be critical for the government to allow non-essential businesses like hers to offer curbside pickup, which has been prohibited for the past two weeks.

"If we don't have pickup, sales will go from low to much lower and paying the rent is going to be a big thing," said Mcfadden, who remembers well the sleepless nights last spring during the initial pandemic shutdown.

Classroom closures also extended

School children in Quebec were also set to return to classrooms Jan. 11, but now elementary students are expected to learn from home for an extra week, and secondary students another two.

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Michelle Labranche has three children at home on their computers, and thinks it would be wise for that to continue.

Her family kept to themselves in La Pche, Que.,over the holidays, taking a pass even on visits toparents and grandparents in nearby Ottawa.

Labranchesaid she's heard of many local families who weren't nearly so cautious.

"I just feel like if we were to go back [to school next] Monday, the virus would just spread really fast," Labranchesaid.