Quebec police are officially setting up checkpoints throughout the province in a bid to slow the skyrocketing COVID-19 case numbers.

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) won't actually be handing out any tickets, however; instead, the stops are "awareness points" to remind people only to travel between zones if it's essential.

The roadblocks will go up in the Eastern Townships, the Laurentians and Chaudiere-Appalaches. Another one will go up on Route 138 heading towards Charlevoix. 

Quebec is currently divided into coloured zones, which are classified into different alert levels.

The Quebec provincial government shows a map of COVID-19 alert levels by region, as of Oct. 2. The area in orange is Montreal and surounding areas.

Montreal and Laval are currently at the highest alert level (Level 4), while Northern Quebec remains at Level 2.

The provincial government hopes that the checkpoints will encourage people to limit their movement between them.

Premier Francois Legault said that the signage will be up "as long as necessary" during a COVID-19 press briefing on Friday.

The news comes as Ontario expands the mandatory face mask policy to the entire province and advises people to only have close contact with their immediate household.