Here’s a selection of Montreal-area services and businesses that will be available (or not) over the holidays:
On Saturday, retail post offices usually open on Saturdays will remain open. Post offices will close on Dec. 26 and 27. Normal delivery will resume on Wednesday. Some privately-operated postal outlets might have different hours; check directly with the outlet. There will will be no delivery on Jan. 2, though retail post offices that are usually open will stay open. Normal post office hours will resume on Jan. 3.
Banks will be closed on Dec. 26-27 and Jan. 2-3.
Most city offices will be close from Dec. 23 until Jan. 3, inclusive. This includes all borough and Accès Montréal offices.
Most shopping malls and stores will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24, stay closed Dec. 25, and reopen at 1 p.m. on Monday. On Dec. 31 they close again at 5 p.m. and stay closed Jan. 1.
Public markets will be closed on Dec. 26-27 and Jan. 1 and 2. They will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 31.
Société des alcools du Québec outlets will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 (but SAQ Express stores are open until 7 p.m.) and reopen at 1 p.m. on Dec. 26. The same hours as Saturday apply on Dec. 31, with outlets closing on Jan. 1, reopening at noon on Jan. 2.
All federal government offices in Quebec will be closed on Dec. 26 and 27. The next business day will be Dec. 28. Offices will be closed on Jan. 2 and will reopen on Jan. 3
Quebec government offices will be closed on Dec. 26, 27 and 30, as well as Jan. 2 and 3.
Garbage, recycling and large item pickups vary according to borough schedules. Check with your borough, because many pickups are cancelled or delayed. For more information, visit www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/info-collectes
Ecocentres are closed from Dec. 24 until Jan 2, inclusive.
Montreal Municipal Court (775 Gosford St.) is closed from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, inclusive. Other service counters are closed from Dec. 23 to 27, inclusive. Those service counters will open on Dec. 28 and 29, but will close from Dec. 30 to Jan. 3, inclusive.
Montreal arenas, swimming pools, sports centres, libraries and cultural venues will use holiday schedules set by the boroughs. For information, visit ville.montreal.qc.ca or call 311 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The Biodôme, Insectarium, Botanical Garden and Planetarium will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25. Visit espacepourlavie.ca for more information.
Société de transport de Montréal bus lines will operate on a holiday schedule Dec. 25-26 and Jan. 1-2. The métro will run all night on New Year’s Eve. Consult schedules at stm.info or call 514-288-6287.
Société de transport de Laval buses will run on reduced Sunday service on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 and Saturday service on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. Service will be free on Dec. 24 and 31. Visit stl.laval.qc.ca for more information.
Réseau de transport de Longueuil buses will run regular hours except on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2, when all lines except 8, 35, 45, 80, T22 and T89 operate on a Saturday schedule. For those routes’ schedules, visit rtl-longueuil.qc.ca.
Agence métropolitaine de transport: All trains that run Sundays operate on a Sunday schedule on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, and offer free service on those days. On Dec. 26 and Jan. 2, the Deux-Montagnes line runs on a Saturday schedule, the Vaudreuil-Hudson line on a Sunday schedule and St-Jérôme line on a weekend schedule. The Mascouche, Candiac and Mont-St-Hilaire lines have no service Dec. 24-26 and Dec. 31 through Jan. 2. For more information, check the AMT’s website, www.amt.qc.ca, or call 1-888-702-8726.
Parking meters remain in operation. All restrictions must be obeyed.
