MONTREAL - A coalition of about 200 Quebec gym, yoga, dance and martial arts business owners say they intend to reopen their doors on Thursday in defiance of provincial health rules.

The businesses are calling on Quebec Premier Francois Legault to lift COVID-19 restrictions that forced fitness facilities to close this month.

In a statement, they say their facilities contribute to the overall physical and mental health of the population and they were not the source of COVID-19 outbreaks.

They say the lockdown measures will force them out of business after they've made significant investments to comply with health measures during the pandemic.

The owners say they intend to reopen across the province but will back down if health authorities can demonstrate by Thursday that their operations have led to outbreaks.

On Oct. 8, Quebec introduced new public health measures for regions under the province's highest COVID-19 alert level, shuttering gyms, putting limits on team sports and making masks mandatory for high school students.