King Township Council to consider chamber request for stat holiday exception

If approved, municipality must then make request to York Region

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 7, 2016
By Tim Kelly

It won’t be in time for Family Day or Easter weekend but King Township residents could soon be allowed to shop at businesses here every day of the year.

A blanket exemption that businesses be allowed to remain open on statutory holidays has been requested by King Chamber of Commerce to King Township council, which in turn must make the request to York Region council.

In a letter to Township council, Tom Allen, president of the King chamber, says retail businesses in King are “subject to a competitive disadvantage in relation to our closest neighbours,” on stat holidays. He cites Vaughan Mills, the Kleinburg core and the towns of Whitchurch-Stouffville and Georgina, all of which have blanket exemptions on statutory holidays under the Retail Business Holidays Act.

Allen calls on King and the region to “level the playing field with our neighbouring municipalities by providing a more favourable and competitive business environment,” for small businesses.

The nine specific holidays when businesses are not allowed to open are: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Exempt from the Retail Business Holidays Act are August Civic Holiday and Boxing Day when stores can open.

Council is being asked by staff to approve an application to the Region of York for an exemption to the act. The penalty now for non-compliance with the act ranges from $500 to $50,000.

York Region is accepting applications for a bylaw exemption until Tuesday, Feb. 16 and will have a hearing date in April. If a bylaw is enacted, it will come into force on the 31st day after it is passed by regional council provided there are no appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Council will deal with the issue on Monday night at Township Hall at 6 p.m.