Most retailers in the Glebe and at Lansdowne Park will not be open for business on Victoria Day, despite receiving the green light from city council in February.
A bylaw exemption allowing businesses to open on statutory holidays is on hold until an appeal filed by the Ottawa and Labour District Council is heard by the Ontario Municipal Board in September.
"Our position is that families should be together on stat holidays, if they chose. Council just did not give any of that adequate consideration," said Sean McKenny, the President of the Ottawa and District Labour Council.
The exemption allows areas designated as tourism hot spots to open for business without facing a fine for defying a provincial bylaw. The debate about whether the Glebe should qualify was sparked last year after Whole Foods at Lansdowne Park was charged for opening on Good Friday.
The provincial bylaw states that only small stores selling "handicrafts", books or magazines with a maximum of three employees, gardening centres, flower shops and gas stations can open. All other stores must be within an established tourist area.
Chris Lord is the manager at Knifewear on Bank Street in the Glebe. He said his store is the company's only location that is not allowed to open on a statutory holiday,
"Everyone is off on Monday. Why wouldn't we want to be open so that if they want to come in and hang out they could," he said .
Though many businesses on Bank Street are interested in opening on holidays including Victoria Day and Canada Day, McKenny said the exemption could have a negative impact on other retailers in the area.
"There are a number of store owners who do not want to open and now they are feeling pressured to do so if this exemption goes through," said McKenny.
Shoppers, too, have mixed feelings. Some said the decision on whether to work a holiday should be left up to the employees, while others said workers in the retail sector deserve mandatory time off.
“I think it should be a voluntary basis. If they want to work that’s fine and if not, that gives the choice to the people who really want to work,” said one shopper.
“If people are here, I don’t see why it should be closed off to people,” said another.
The three day hearing takes place in mid to late September. The bylaw exemption is on hold until that happens meaning most businesses in the area will be closed on every holiday this summer.
