Montreal's Busy Truth and Reconciliation Day: What's Open and Closed

On September 30, Montreal residents and visitors will notice some changes as the city commemorates Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. While this is a federally regulated holiday, Quebec does not recognize it as a statutory holiday, meaning day-to-day life in Montreal will largely continue as usual.

For small business owners like myself, running a bookshop in Montréal, it's crucial to know what's open and what's closed. Here's a breakdown of what Montreal businesses and services will be operating and which will be shuttered.

What's Open

• Restaurants and bars
• Retail stores and shopping malls
• Grocery stores like IGA, Metro, and Walmart
• Pharmacies such as Jean Coutu and Pharmaprix
• Public transit
• Museums and cultural sites (hours may vary)

What's Closed

• Banks
• Canada Post
• Service Canada offices
• Passport services
• Federal government offices
• Courts under federal jurisdiction

As a small business owner, I can attest that these changes can impact my budget significantly. For example, while my bookshop remains open, federal offices being closed means fewer potential customers who might have come in to mail books or purchase items from the government. This rule change costs a small operator like me in terms of lost business and planning around the closure of certain services.