Peel considers new approach to deal with retailers who want to open on stat holidays
Criteria would guide decision-making

BramptonGuardian.com
Feb. 8, 2017
Roger Belgrave

Peel Region will be looking at a new approach to handling requests from retailers who want to operate their businesses on statutory holidays.

At the end of last year, the Ontario government proclaimed a section of the Retail Business Holiday Act, opening the door for Peel Region to set its own retail holiday closings requirements.

With the passing of this provision in the act, Peel administrative staff is now developing a proposal to alter the way the region deals with exemption requests.

Municipalities can now exempt themselves from the act and create their own bylaw.

To date, the region has had to deal with individual requests from various retailers and decide if the locations fit exemption criteria.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has referred to the act as outdated ­and called for changes — noting many business owners and consumers in an increasingly multicultural community celebrate different holidays and recognize different holy days than those identified in the legislation.

But others have pointed out the legislation is still relevant, especially pertinent in protecting non-unionized workers who could be forced by their employer to work on statutory holidays and are not properly compensated for those hours.

Exemption has typically been granted for shopping locales that are considered a tourist draw.

Bramalea City Centre and Square One Shopping Centre have successfully applied for exemptions in the past.

So too have Mississauga grocers T&T Supermarket and Yuan Ming Supermarket.

The exemptions have allowed some stores to open for business on various statutory holidays, including New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day.

Proponents of exemptions have argued lucrative tourist and local business is driven outside the municipality to areas like Toronto, Markham and Vaughan where major shopping hubs remain open for business on statutory holidays.

Peel Region administrative staff in the corporate services department is now expected to report to a future council meeting, yet to be determined, on a proposed new approach to dealing with applications.

The proposal would establish criteria to guide decision-making on exemption requests.