Québec Retail Stores Can Now Open as Early as 6 A.M. Under New Pilot Project

🛍️ Québec Retail Stores Can Now Open as Early as 6 A.M. Under New Pilot Project

Big changes are coming to shopping hours in Québec.

Starting March 11, 2026, many retail stores across the province will be allowed to open as early as 6 a.m. and close as late as 9 p.m., seven days a week, under a new one-year pilot project announced by the provincial government.

The change mainly affects non-food retailers such as clothing stores, boutiques, hardware stores and other general merchandise shops. Grocery stores and pharmacies are not impacted, as they already operate under different rules.

Until now, Québec has maintained some of the most restrictive retail hours in Canada — particularly on weekends, when many stores were required to close by 5 p.m. The government says the goal of the pilot project is to modernize shopping hours, give businesses more flexibility, and help brick-and-mortar retailers compete with online shopping.

Participation in the extended hours program is voluntary, meaning individual store owners can decide whether the new schedule makes sense for their business.

The pilot will run for one year, after which the government will evaluate its impact before deciding whether to make the change permanent.

What do you think?

Would you shop earlier in the morning — or later on weekends? Let us know in the comments.