OTTAWA — After the May long weekend amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Quebec police checkpoints at the Gatineau-Ottawa border are likely to be lifted.
On Friday afternoon, the Quebec Government had an announcement that the highway checkpoints will be removed as of Monday, May 18, as recommended by public health officials, at the bridges over the Ottawa River.
Gatineau Police on Friday afternoon were yet busy in deflecting all drivers at the Ottawa-Gatineau border if officers find motorists their move unnecessary. The inhabitants of Ottawa who wanted to travel to their properties for the long weekend had been hoping for the green light as they own cottages in Quebec.
Between Gatineau and Ottawa the Quebec Government implemented ban on travel from April 1 keeping in view that part of precautionary measures in order to combat the spread of COVID-19.
On May 11, the restriction on travel which are considered unnecessary into and through the Outaouais was lifted , but the bans at the bridges over the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Gatineau remained in place.
The government still asks the locals of the region to avoid non-essential travel and asks them to safe home in order of not being a source of transmission of the virus.
Gatineau Police and the Surete du Quebec have been setting up random police checkpoints at the crossings to turn away non-essential travel Since the Quebec Government introduced the travel bans at the Gatineau-Ottawa border on April 1.
A petition which has 7,600 signature had an announcement to make Quebech government allow Ottawa-area residents access to their residential properties in Quebec.