Synopsis of Ontario Retsil Business Holidays Act, 1975
As outlined in pamphlet prepared by the
Ministry of the Solicitor General

Consuners' Asseciation of Canada, B.C. Branch

Shopping Hours Survey. Total response, 1,107

(the survey was conducted among CAC, B.C. Branch members)

YES

eorment si

convenience

leave decision to stores
provide more employment
less crowded

comzents:

unnecessary

96 8.7%

employees need one free day 88 8.0%
53 4.8%

more expensive operation
religious reasons

Every evening yes
no

Some evenings yes
no

Coznents:

convenience

leave decision to stores
unnecessary

Thurs. & Fri. nights only
provide more employnent
less crowds

more expensive operation

297 26.8%
299 27.01%

“IC to!

han
RRARRER

Bud Elsie
April 26, 1977

1. Are you in favor of stores Staying open for SUNDAY business?

468 42.3%

2. sre you in favor of stores staying open for NICHT SHOPPING?

The Retail Business Holidays Act, 1975
{2nd Session) :

This law cane into force throughout Ontar-
io on January 1st, 1976. ts aim is to provide
for common days of rest on which retailing
will be kept to a minimum and leisure time ac-
livity encouraged. The law requires retail busi-
hess establishments to close on these holi-
days:

every Sunday
New Year's Day
Good Friday
Victoria Day
Dominion Day
Labour Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
Boxing Day

On these days, no goods or services can be
offered for sale or sold to the pudlic, and no
member of the public can be admitted to the
establishment. The law is enforced by the
police. If a person or firm is charged and con-
victed, he can be fined up to $10,000, at the
discretion of the judge.

dotined

Retail busi establi are
in the law as premises where goods or servi-
ces are Sold or offered for sale by retail. The
premises may be indoors, outdoors, or both.
Some provisions of the law permit a business
to open if the retail area is smail. In this case,
segard must be had to all space used, wiether -
indoors or outdoors. This will be descrised in
more detail below.

E tions trom Cl

P

To avoid hardship and inconvenience to re-
taifers and the public, the law exempts certain
types of retai! business establishments. Some
Stores and establishments can remain open
on a holiday if they meet certain requirements
as to floor area ano the number of pecple
serving the public. Other establishments are
free to remain open regatdiess of size and the
number of people working, depending on the
type of goods and services sold. The “small
stores exemption” will be considered first.

Smal Stores Exemption

- To open on a holiday, these stores must
have as their principat or main business the
sale of one or more of the [cHowing:

{9 teod (this may include soft drinas
and confectionery items);

(ii) newspapers or periodicals (this does
fot include paperback bocks or
other Dooks which are not published
on a periodic or regutar basis):
tobscco or articles required for the
use of tobacco (this may include
cigars, cigarettes, roll-your-own
papers, pices, pipe tobacco, fighters
and lighter fluid and matches};
antiques {the lev; does no! define
“antique”. Generally speating those
items in the “collectable” class are
included here although their ages
may vary greatly);
handicralts (these are goods tnat
are handmade and the product of a
recognized craft or skill. The princi-
pal effort expended in manutacture
must be manual, without the aid of
tools o° machines which are capable
of producing more than one item at
a time. Such goods may include