The Quebec government has changed its tune and will postpone elections for English school boards slated for next month due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The province’s Education Ministry announced the measure Thursday, saying in a statement that it wants the process to “take place safely in the context of COVID-19.”
It also cites the need for the public to respect the instructions to quarantine before and after the four-day period in December where holiday gatherings are permitted.
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Officials lament Quebec government’s decision to reschedule English school board elections
“The date for the resumption of the electoral process will be specified shortly, but given the highly unpredictable nature of the pandemic, the government is considering postponing its holding for several months,” the Education Ministry said in a statement Thursday.
Earlier in November, English-language school boards sounded the alarm over the fast-approaching election dates on Dec. 19 and 20 to fill any seats that weren’t filled by acclamation earlier this year.
They were originally scheduled for Nov. 1 but were rescheduled due to the onset of the province’s second wave of the pandemic.
— With files from Global News’ Benson Cook