2.

3. Sunday store opening would cause a serious hardship for the owners of small retail stores who already work a six-day week. Because most of these stores base their business on personal service, rather than on self-serve as do most larger stores, the small independent retailer would be forced to hire extra staff, or pay overtime to present staff. All of the owners would have to work longer hours as well.

4. Seven-day-a-week shopping would deprive employees in both large end

small stores of the one day a week which they are now able to epend with

their families.

The Present Situation in British Columbia

Sunday closing in British Columbia is now regulated by the federal Lord's Nay Act of 1907, which is not enforced and which would be ineffective even if it were enforced because the fines it calls for are so small as to make them meaningless ($1 to $40),

In addition to this Act, each municipality can set its own regulations regarding Sumday shopping, with tha result that different standards are set in different municipalities. The situation is particularly difficult in the Greater Vancouver area. The City of Vancouver prohibits Sunday

shopping,but several of the surrounding mumicipalities allow stores to

open without restriction. The result is a serious disruption of shopping

patterns for Vanceuver merchants and sone loss of business.

The Situation in Quebec and Ontario

In 1969, nine years ago, Quebec became the first province in Canada to pass provincial legislation regulating store hours,"The Commercial

Establishments Business Hours Act."

In 1975, the Ontario government passed a similar Act vhich regulates retail closing on Sundays and statutory holidays and provides for fines of up to $20,000 for those who break the law. Exempeioas are sade for soma types of businesses, such as the small corner store, drug stores,

service stations and stores located in tourist areas.

A copy of an Ontario government paaphlet, describing their Act ia

detail, ig included as Annex B of this brief.

According to reports from George Creapton, national - manager of the Retail Merchants Association of Canada, in Teronto, the lav is working reasonably well in Ontario. Its enforcenent depends vpon conplaints fror the public, or other retailers, as it is not actively policed. ‘The first test casa is coming up this year in Toronto.

One loophole in the law, which has come to light, is the right of « sunicipal council, on the grounds that it is essential to the courist industry to pass a by~law exeopting any or all retailers under its jurisdiction fron

the Sunday closing.

Reconncndations for British Colurbia

The British Columbis Division of the Retail crchints Agsociation of Canada would like to wake ‘the following recommendations: « & Retail Business Holidays Act should be incrnduccd in British Columbia.

2. It should require that retail business establishvents close on the

following holidays:

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