Ottawa - Saint Patrick's Day celebrations are scheduled to return this week, but festival organizers and student unions say people should celebrate cautiously.

Canada's largest celebrations were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to health risks associated with the pandemic. Vaccine and mask mandates are being slowly lifted across the country, and many parades and festivals continue, with the Montreal festival leading the way in renewing celebrations.

Vancouver and Montreal are home to some of the largest Irish populations in Canada, and with COVID-19 protocols being lifted in many areas, festival organizers are confident that Saint Patrick's Day celebrations can return to their moderate normalcy.

The United Irish Societies in Montreal will participate with 500 people in their parade, and thousands of spectators are expected to gather on the streets, according to Kevin Tracy, the group's Vice President of Public Relations.

The organization had organized the largest parade in Canada for Saint Patrick's Day, but had to cancel it for two consecutive years due to the pandemic.

Tracy said, this time, people might choose not to wear masks since it is the first time in two years.

"I think it will just happen because it's the first open event. We were the first to be canceled and the first to return."

But the return of the Irish holiday is not without risks, despite many provinces lifting vaccination mandates for public gatherings. 

Ontario is scheduled to drop its own mask requirements on March 21, shortly after Saint Patrick's Day on Thursday, while Quebec dropped its vaccination requirements earlier this week.

On the other hand, Ottawa Police are concerned that students - some of the most enthusiastic partygoers - will celebrate without masks as they did during last year's annual event after a college football game known as the Panda Game. Community police officer Sebastian Lemay said students violated some COVID-19 protocols.

For his part, Cal Ogden, Vice President of Community Engagement at the Carleton University Students’ Association, said, "It’s the students’ decision themselves whether they want to follow COVID-19 protocols or not; unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to prevent them."

Ogden added that a group of students is working with the police to encourage students to follow COVID-19 protocols while celebrating.

Ottawa Police also warned that they will have a greater presence during downtown celebrations. It has been less than a month since police pushed crowds protesting COVID-19 restrictions away from Ottawa’s core, following weeks of disturbances to residents and local businesses.

The police have already started talking to local residents to reassure them that officers will monitor any breaches of law or any public misconduct.

At Okanagan College in British Columbia, widespread celebration is not a priority. The Okanagan College Student Union hosted two events this month and noted that some students forgot to wear masks or wore them improperly.

Christina Laitinen, Member Services Coordinator of the Student Union, said, "I think there is a lot of general COVID fatigue and it’s still ongoing after two years."

Nevertheless, everyone is "somewhat cooperative" at personal events and respects the needs of vulnerable people, she said.

While event organizers such as student unions are confident that people will choose to follow COVID-19 protocols, they are integrating these protocols into festivals in a way close to normalcy after two years of restrictions.

Tracy said Montreal’s parade route was set longer than usual to allow people to spread out. All participants in the parade will also be required to wear masks, but spectators will have the option not to wear masks.

The festival is the second largest Saint Patrick's Day celebration in Canada and is offered for all age groups. 

Alan Cosgrave, Vice Chair of CelticFest, said that students and seniors are critical to the success of the festival, which expects attendance of up to 5,000 people.

Cosgrave said the festival will be held outdoors, but all indoor activities will still follow regional health guidelines.

He added, "We are very nervous this year, frankly, especially with the different variants."

The festival staff will set up health and sanitation booths where attendees can choose to wear masks and sanitize their hands.

While festival organizers in Vancouver and Montreal emphasize personal choice when it comes to mask-wearing, one thing is certain: they do not plan to cancel any other celebrations.