National

Quebec To Move All Lottery Ticket Sales Online To Avoid Spread Of COVID-19

The Canadian Press, 20 Mar, 2020 11:57 PM

MONTREAL - Quebec's lottery corporation says it will soon sell lottery tickets only online amid fears of the novel coronavirus.

A spokesman for Loto-Quebec said on Twitter today that it will suspend the sale of lottery products at retailers and in kiosks and disconnect its network of sales terminals as soon as possible.

This comes shortly after Premier Francois Legault asked Loto-Quebec to change its procedures for selling tickets as another measure to keep Quebecers in their homes.

Loto-Quebec spokesman Patrice Lavoie confirmed that online purchases will be the norm as soon all of its terminals have been turned off.

He also tweeted that all past purchases will remain valid.

Legault told reporters in Quebec City that the government wants to discourage people with dreams of a jackpot from heading out to the corner store.

"We've asked Loto-Quebec to review its rules. It probably will happen quickly, so they can continue to sell tickets online," he said. "But we do not want to have people leave their homes and take a risk just so they can buy a lottery ticket."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

First Person: Getting Home From Poland, In Covid-19 Lockdown

POZNAN, Poland - When my wife and I left Canada on March 3 destined for her ailing mother's hospital bedside, we never imagined that we would face the prospect of being in Europe and watching country after country go into various forms of lockdown — or that we would be directly affected by it.

First Person: Getting Home From Poland, In Covid-19 Lockdown

Alan Kurdi's Aunt Has Mixed Feelings After Sentencing In His Case

VANCOUVER - The aunt of three-year-old Alan Kurdi says she has mixed feelings after three people were sentenced in the human smuggling case that resulted in the deaths of her nephew, his brother and mother as they fled Syria in 2015.

Alan Kurdi's Aunt Has Mixed Feelings After Sentencing In His Case

BC Ferries Allows Passengers To Remain In Vehicles To Deal With Covid-19

The ferry service says the decision to allow passengers to remain in their vehicles will be accompanied by new safety measures.

BC Ferries Allows Passengers To Remain In Vehicles To Deal With Covid-19

Homeless Vulnerable To COVID-19 Need Help From Governments: Advocates

Chrissy Brett said social distancing to reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus is difficult for people who are housed in crowded spaces and lining up in groups to use bathrooms and get food.

Homeless Vulnerable To COVID-19 Need Help From Governments: Advocates

Canadian Travellers Trying To Return Trapped By Border Closures For COVID-19

Nikita Singh and Marco Tenaglia are calling every government office and embassy they can to try and find out how — or if — they will be able to leave Peru and get back to Toronto.

Canadian Travellers Trying To Return Trapped By Border Closures For COVID-19

Cineplex To Close Theatres Nationwide In Response To COVID-19

TORONTO - Canada's largest movie exhibitor Cineplex Inc. says it's closing all of its 165 theatres nationwide until at least April 2 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.