MONTREAL -- The ability of Quebecers to properly physically distance themselves from one another will be truly tested in the coming weeks with the weather warming and restrictions being lightened in the province.

A study from the Association of Canadian Studies’ (ACS) COVID-19 Social Impacts Network released Monday found that Quebecers find distancing more difficult than other Canadians particularly those in the 18-34 age range.

Premier Francois Legault praised Quebecers in early April for limiting their movement after Google announced the province’s citizens as the champions of distancing. The ACS study found, however, that over 30 per cent found it quite difficult (25.5 per cent) or very difficult (5.4 per cent) to stay six feet away from one-another. Quebec’s number is almost 10 per cent higher than the Canadian average (21.9 per cent).

Saturday’s warm weather drew crowds to Montreal’s parks and Montreal police vans patrolled with loudspeakers reminding park goers of physical distancing rules.

When comparing cities, Montreal tops the list with 33.1 per cent finding physical distancing difficult with Ottawa (31.6 per cent) second. Vancouver (22.9 per cent), Toronto (20.1 per cent), Edmonton (14.8 per cent) and Calgary (12.1 per cent) were the other cities surveyed.

In Canada, about a third surveyed in the 18-34 age range (30.4 per cent) and 42.9 per cent from Quebec in the same bracket found it difficult to separate. About a third of those surveyed in that age bracket (28.7 per cent) went to visit family or friends in the past week.

The survey was conducted in partnership with Leger only with 2,015 participating.