Quebec government announces new COVID-19 restrictions – aftermarket supply chain allowed to continue operations during shut-down period
On Tuesday, December 15, 2020, Premier François Legault announced that COVID-19 restrictions would be tightened. Starting Thursday, December 17, 2020, until at least January 10, 2021, it is mandatory for office employees to work from home. However, workers required to be on-site for the business to run can enter their office. Starting December 25 until at least January 10, all non-essential stores will be closed.
New restrictions on commercial enterprises are quite restrictive. For example, only businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware stores are allowed to remain open. Big-box stores such as Walmart and Costco will be forbidden from selling goods that are deemed non-essential.
The list of commercial enterprises authorized to operate from December 25, 2020, to January 10, 2021, includes the aftermarket supply chain:
- Stores that sell products, parts, and other material necessary for transportation and logistics services (garages for repairs only, not for sales by car dealers*).
These enterprises must follow restrictions on the number of customers that they admit. Restrictions can be found here.
Good news for the aftermarket as the sector continues to be designated as an essential service. Apart from the industry being able to continue to operate, it creates a precedent for the industry to be allowed to continue operations in similar situations in the future.
See the list of priority commercial enterprises here.
*This means that businesses that sell vehicles and also operate service bays can only provide repairs, not sell vehicles