Quebec is planning to reopen elementary schools and daycares in May, according to Premier Francois Legault.

On Monday, Legault announced that schools and daycares outside of the greater Montreal area will reopen on May 11, and those inside the Montreal region will reopen on May 19.

Quebec high schools, CEGEPs and universities will remain closed until September.

Quebec Premier François Legault says high schools will stay shut until September but schools will reopen next month for younger grades. He says children with health issues should stay home, but other students need to get back to routine. 'Life has to continue,' he says in French.

— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) April 27, 2020

However, the premier said school attendance will be optional, and he urged all educational institutions to offer as many online learning opportunities as possible.

Class sizes will be limited to 15 students, and barriers will be placed between school bus drivers and children in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. Daycare workers will also be required to wear masks.

Parents will need to advise schools a week in advance if their children are going to attend school.

Legault made it clear that schools will only reopen if the number of COVID-19 cases in the province's hospitals remains stable. "We will analyze the situation every day and adjust if necessary," he said. "The watchword here is prudence."

Ontario also released a plan on Monday to begin reopening its economy, but did not give any dates for the framework just yet.

Quebec and Ontario, the hardest hit provinces, on potentially two separate paths here. Quebec announced that daycares + elementary schools reopen May 11 (May 18 in Montreal). Ontario, meanwhile, lays out criteria to be met to reopen the province but absolutely not giving a date.

— Elamin Abdelmahmoud (@elamin88) April 27, 2020

There are currently almost 25,000 cases of COVID-19 in Quebec. Quebec has 10,000 more cases of COVID-19 than Ontario, Canada's second-hardest hit province.