May 13/20 17:59 pm - Quebec to Allow Outdoor Cycling As of May 20th

Posted by Editor on 05/13/20
 

The FQSC (Quebec cycling federation) has released a statement, confirming that outdoor cycling will be permitted across the entire province, as of May 20th. There are a number of restrictions, including that only a maximum of two riders can ride together, and they must be at least two metres apart.

The full statement:

The Minister Delegate for Education and responsible for sports and leisure, Isabelle Charest, gave the green light to cycling in all regions of Quebec as of May 20. Cyclists can therefore ride outdoors individually or in a group of two while keeping a physical distance of two meters. It is however forbidden to drive in a group or in a peloton outside for the moment. The purpose of this announcement was to promote the first of the four phases of the Government of Quebec's sport and leisure stimulus plan. Aware of the importance of physical activity for the population, the Minister nevertheless reiterated the importance of exercising caution in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

"For two months now, Quebeckers have shown extraordinary collaboration in respecting the rules of confinement and distancing. To fight the pandemic, we had to suspend many of our favourite activities. Like you, I want to stretch my legs and I am very happy to announce the resumption of several sports and leisure activities. We are beginning to return to normal which will be done step by step. Our priority remains the health of the population and thanks to the discipline we have given ourselves in the past few months, I am convinced that we will be able to remain safe while bringing physical activity back into our daily lives.Quebecers will once again benefit from all the positive effects of practicing their favourite activities ", she said during the press briefing.

This news comes at an opportune time, according to the director general of the FQSC, Louis Barbeau. He said he was optimistic about the recovery plan developed by the federation.

"We are pleased that cycling sports are part of the first recovery phase announced today, allowing free practice. We will be filing our own stimulus package with government officials in the coming days, and we are confident that it will meet government requirements as much as the expectations of our members are eager to resume their cycling activities," he said following the government press briefing.

The government's recovery plan will be divided into four phases. To minimize the risk of contagion, activities will resume in compliance with the recommendations of the public health authorities. Each activity was evaluated according to five criteria:

• The physical distance between people during the activity;
• The place of practice (less risk when practicing outdoors);
• The required equipment;
• The context of practice (less risk during free practice);
• Travel (lower risk for local activities).

All these activities can be practiced by people with physical limitations. People living under the same roof as the disabled person can offer support if necessary.

In addition, guides have been produced in conjunction with the CNESST and the National Institute of Public Health to help Quebecers resume their activities safely. The FQSC works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEES) to develop guidelines adapted to the disciplines or fields of intervention of cycling sports.

As responsible for its actions, the FQSC will promote its members, while recalling that health and safety instructions, including hygiene rules, must be observed for safe practice.

As part of our weekly podcast, we will unveil the main lines of the FQSC's activities recovery plan next Wednesday, May 20. Over the next week, the stimulus package will also be released through our newsletter, Sprint. A vast operation will also be carried out in the Quebec media to publicize this plan.

French version