York Region set to revisit holiday shopping bylaw OK'd in 'obscene haste'

Vaughan, Markham mayors call for public consultation

Yorkregion.com
April 19, 2018
By Lisa Queen

York Region's controversial holiday shopping bylaw, approved in "obscene haste," could be reconsidered to permit public consultation less than four months after it began.

"That would be great if they would," Toronto and York Region Labour Council president John Cartwright said.

"We would certainly hope that York council would recognize that what happened in the past was so fundamentally undemocratic that it needs to be allowed for a full consultation with residents and then come back and find out what would be the most appropriate application of the holiday shopping bylaw."

However, Newmarket Chamber of Commerce president Debra Scott, also speaking on behalf of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce and the Markham Board of Trade, said it would be unfair to get rid of a regionwide holiday shopping bylaw that creates a level playing field for all retailers.

She's also worried the uncertainty of reconsidering the bylaw could create staff scheduling headaches for store owners.

At the April 19 regional council meeting, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti will ask councillors to consider reopening the bylaw to permit public consultation.

The policy, which went into effect Jan. 1, allows stores across the region to open their doors every day of the year except Christmas Day on Dec. 25.

It was approved without discussion with residents and retail workers.

"In obscene haste is how one would describe it," Cartwright said.

While Bevilacqua and the majority of councillors supported the bylaw at the time, Scarpitti, who opposes the bylaw, had strongly urged them to at least take the issue to the public before making a hasty decision and also to consider forcing stores to close on Canada Day, July 1.

Since then, at the request of the labour council and unions, Vaughan council passed a motion asking the region to reconsider the bylaw.

Councillors are likely hearing how unfair the bylaw is to retail workers, Cartwright said.

"I know that some of the stores, people are being forced to work, now. They are basically told, 'You are required,' even though the people pushing this early on with zero consultation were claiming, 'Oh, nobody will be forced to work against their will. Of course, it will be all peaches and cream,'" he said.

Scarpitti said public consultation may prove him wrong, but he doesn't think York Region residents are demanding virtually year-round shopping.

"This was not a burning issue," he said.

"It wasn't that long ago the province actually added a statutory holiday in February - Family Day - and they did it because there was a very strong feeling from the public that they wanted an additional holiday, an additional long weekend, in the middle of winter. Now, by this bylaw, we have not only taken that away (from retail workers), but we've taken away other opportunities for people to enjoy time and be with their friends, be with their family or do other activities when everyone else is off."