York Region's shopping bylaw stands after 'funky,' 'secretive' process
Bid to reopen holiday shopping bylaw to allow public consultation fails

Yorkregion.com
April 19, 2018
Lisa Queen

You can continue to shop till you drop in York Region.

A bid to reopen the region’s controversial holiday shopping bylaw to allow for public consultation failed at the region’s council meeting April 19.

“I’m very disappointed. I’m very sad,” Deb Henry, a retail worker and member of the union Unifor, which represents retail workers, said moments after the decision.

“We’re retail workers. There are many people (affected), unlike those sitting in that room there who are off on statutory holidays and off on Sundays, which we’ve already lost, which is now part of our regular work week and not voluntary and no extra pay. I’m just very disappointed. I guess I had felt hopeful coming here.”

As of Jan. 1, the bylaw allows stores across the region to open every day of the year except for Christmas Day.

The policy was adopted without consultation with the public and retail workers.

Henry complained the region’s ongoing dismissiveness of workers continued with Thursday’s vote, as they weren’t given a heads up that the possibility of revisiting the bylaw was going to be discussed, Henry said.

“York Region is a little funky,” the Toronto retail worker said.

“If we had known sooner, maybe we could have done something.”

Hearing from workers in Toronto and Peel Region has helped councillors in those communities understand the troubling impact of bylaws wiping out statutory holidays for retail workers, she said.

Henry, who found out by chance about the vote, said many workers and union members would have attended the meeting if they had known the issue was coming before councillors again.

As it was, she was one of only three workers to attend.

Tammy Laporte and Corey Nilsson also said they are upset.

“I wish we had had more time to make delegations or speak to the councillors directly and just put a human face on the issue,” said Laporte, who feels the process has been “secretive.”

Nilsson agreed.

“York Region is actually becoming a black sheep in this situation,” he said.

“Everything here seems to happen under the table and really quickly.”

However, he said it was unfair of the provincial government to hand the issue to municipalities.

Workers and unions will continue fighting the bylaw, especially in this fall’s municipal elections, Henry said.

To reopen the bylaw, 13 of the councillors present had to vote in favour.

But in a recorded vote, only 10 councillors -- Vaughan Mayor Bevilacqua, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, Vaughan Coun. Sunder Singh, Newmarket Coun. John Taylor, Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Justin Altmann, Markham Coun. Nirmala Armstrong, Georgina Coun. Naomi Davison, Aurora Mayor Geoff Dawe, East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson and Vaughan Mayor Gino Rosati -- voted to support revisiting the bylaw.

Nine councillors -- Richmond Hill's Coun. Vito Spatafora, Newmarket Mayor Tony Van Bynen, Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow, Markham Coun. Jack Heath, Richmond Hill Coun. Brenda Hogg, Markham Coun. Jim Jones, Markham Coun. Joe Lie, King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini and Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk -- voted against.

Vaughan Coun. Mario Ferri was absent.