When the government began shuttering classrooms and schools across Quebec last spring, entire communities scrambled to make sense of what that meant for kids and their school careers. A plethora of services were expected; some networks lagged in the digital shift, even a nominal one, some offered different experiences in schools on the same territory, some even among classes in the same school.
The year became a cocktail of frustration and anxiety for many families, but through it all, parents faced it with aplomb. Hundreds of thousands had to double â even triple â down on already burdened, pandemic-weary schedules, adding tutor, monitor and remote educational advocate to their daily duties.
MONTREAL Quebec Premier François Legault says the 18-day pause his government is mandating, shutting non-essential services starting on Christmas Day, is necessary to bring down COVID-19 case numbers. Now all that s left is to adjust, which means different things for different people. Small retail shops need to plan around a sales schedule with no Boxing Day, while for other industries, those two and a half weeks will be a balancing act. One sector that s staying open is manufacturing, but the province has asked companies to reduce their hours if they can. It won t be quite that simple, said Veronique Proulx, president of Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters. It s predictable that some employees will need to stay home, which means probable overtime for others, she said.