City staff has laboured long and produced a series of recommendations on holiday retail shopping to be considered on or shortly after Tuesday October 16, 2012 by the City’s Economic Development Committee. The report calls for a change in the present Toronto legislation to allow shopping on four holidays — Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day. It recommends that stores be closed on New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. The staff report containing these conclusions does not seem to make it clear if the closures which would apply to “retail stores” would now also apply to so-called shopping districts like the Eaton Centre. It’s been a source of irritation to retailers that Toronto legislation has been unfair in this respect. Research done by the City Staff revealed a wide disparity among Ontario municipalities with respect to openings. It’s notable that 74% of the Ontario communities surveyed permit retail openings on Family Day. BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan permit opening on any day.
Read staff report
Read staff report
