What’s open and closed this Easter weekend

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This article was published 09/04/2020 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Easter weekend will look different this year. Health officials are asking Manitobans to refrain from gathering over the holiday to reduce the spread of COVID-19 — but Premier Brian Pallister confirmed Wednesday the Easter Bunny will still be able to stash chocolates across the province, while adhering to strict social-distancing rules

The list of holiday closures is also shorter than usual because all non-essential businesses and services have been closed since April 1, following the province’s directive.

The Free Press will not publish a print or e-edition on Good Friday, but readers can visit winnipegfreepress.com for the latest news and information. There will be an e-edition posted online on Easter Monday, but no print edition will be published.

Here’s a selection of essential service hours for Easter weekend:

SHOPPING

St. Vital Centre, Grant Park Shopping Centre, CF Polo Park, Portage Place, Garden City Shopping Centre and Kildonan Place will be closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This includes essential services.

However, Shopper’s Drug Mart locations at Garden City Shopping Centre, Grant Park Shopping Centre, St. Vital Centre and Kildonan Place will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Most grocery stores, including Safeway, Sobeys, Superstore, Red River Co-op and Walmart, are closed Friday and Sunday. They will be open for regular reduced shopping hours Saturday and Monday.

Liquor Mart stores in Winnipeg will be closed Friday and Sunday. Stores in Winnipeg and Brandon will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Monday. For details on exceptions and rural Liquor Mart hours, visit www.LiquorMarts.ca/hours.

Beer vendors and private wine stores set their own hours for the holiday, so Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Crop. suggests the best way to find out if a retailer near you is open or offering curbside pick-up or delivery is to call.

RECYCLING AND TRASH

Recycling and garbage is being collected as normally scheduled on Good Friday and Easter Monday, for those with Friday and Monday as their collection day, respectively.

The Brady Road 4R depot will be open to residential customers Friday and Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The city’s other two 4R depots, on Panet Road and Pacific Avenue, are closed Friday and Monday, and open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Social distancing is being practiced at all 4R Winnipeg depots, and only one vehicle will be permitted to drop off materials at a time.

WINNIPEG TRANSIT

On Good Friday, buses will operate on a Sunday schedule. On Easter Monday, buses will operate on a regular schedule.

Winnipeg Transit’s spring schedule comes into effect Sunday and includes a series of existing route changes and replacements, as well as the opening of a new rapid transit line. The new blue line will travel from downtown to the University of Manitoba and St. Norbert using the southwest transitway.

For route and schedule details, visit Winnipeg Transit or contact 311.

CEMETERIES

Cemetery grounds at Brookside, St. Vital and Transcona will be open for visitation from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Sunday and Monday. Cemetery offices will be closed on the holiday, and visitors are reminded to practice social distancing when on the grounds.

For more information, visit the municipal cemeteries branch online or contact 311.

GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Civic, provincial and federal offices will be closed Friday and Monday.

Many city service offices are currently closed to the public. Visit the City of Winnipeg’s website for a full list of affected programs and services.

Animal services is closed Monday and Friday, and offering adoptions by appointment only through 311.

Canada Post is not delivering mail Friday or Monday, and its offices are closed. However, post offices operated by the private sector may be open according to the hours of service of the host business.