Changes to holiday shopping restrictions in Manitoba welcomed by retailers

Brian Pallister's Progressive Conservative government is planning to make good on an election promise that would loosen the rules surrounding when and where Manitobans can shop.

Legislation to eliminate Sunday and holiday shopping restrictions was promised in the government's speech from the throne Tuesday afternoon, which outlines the province's plan for the coming year.

"I was actually very excited," said Munther Zeid, owner of Food Fare.

Zeid received a $10,000 fine when he opened his independent grocery store on Good Friday earlier this year. He criticized the law that requires stores to close and fought the fine, which was later dropped.

"As long as it changes for the better, I'm happy," he said.

One of the main criticisms of the existing restrictions is that they are confusing and unfairly target retailers.

Entertainment venues, restaurants, liquor and cannabis stores, pharmacies and casinos are allowed to be open on holidays.

Any retail or grocery store that normally operates with four or fewer workers at a time can also remain open. 

Other businesses with more than four employees working can open on certain holidays, such as Victoria Day and Louis Riel Day, but not on others holidays like Christmas, New Year's Day and Good Friday.

Zeid said his store had been opening on holidays for nearly 30 years before he was fined and he didn't know he was breaking any rules.

"I'm not saying that breaking the law was right but nobody ever questioned it, we didn't realize we were breaking the law," he said.

It's not known how quickly the province will move on the changes but the province said it would allow municipalities to make their own restrictions should they decide they want them.

Retailers want full repeal

While the province hasn't laid out any specifics on what the changes will look like, groups representing retailers say a full lift of the shopping hours restrictions would put Manitoba on par with the rest of the country.

"What we're hoping is that whole glut of challenges that we currently have with the legislation and the confusion that exists around it, as to what the rules are, will be gone," said Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.

"There is no other jurisdiction that is as restrictive on brick-and-mortar retail as Manitoba," said John Graham with the Retail Council of Canada.

Graham said he would expect to see changes by next year, though there will be time needed for municipalities to adjust.

The business community also welcomes the idea of a full lift on the ban, which they've been pushing for for nearly two decades.

"We've got this strange legislation that we've had in place that only affects the retail community and doesn't affect other sectors," Davidson said.

Davidson said he fully expects the city of Winnipeg to allow businesses to choose if they want to open, while some municipalities will opt to put their own restrictions in place.

"We'd be very much surprised if [Winnipeg] didn't go in favour of this and simply allowing it to be wide open," he said.  

"Other communities that have [been opposed] in the past, the Winklers, the Steinbachs of the world, have decided. Leaving it up to the community to make that decision is important, we've always been supportive of that," said Davidson.

'Why is this only a retail issue?' 

Davidson said lifting the restrictions likely won't cause any major shifts in retail hours but simply allow businesses the option.

"You're not going to see 24/7 operations in Manitoba, that's not what they're looking to do," he said.

He also said fears about employees being forced to work Sundays and holidays aren't fair, given that other businesses are able to operate without restrictions.

"Why is this only a retail issue? You could make the same argument for people that work in radio or people that work in gas stations or restaurants, they don't have that same ability," he said.

Zeid said he always made it an option for his employees if they wanted to work holidays and he plans to continue to do so. 

He said he hopes the new legislation is in place in time for Good Friday next year, which is the next holiday he plans to be open.