Businesses in the Ottawa area have a major holiday headache.
Not the kind you get from your annual office party, but from the ongoing debate around holiday closure rules.
On Feb. 10, the city approved the Glebe Business Improvement Area’s application to keep retailers open on six statutory holidays.
This regulation falls under the Retail Business Holidays Act, which exempts businesses if they are located near a tourist attraction, including natural, historical, educational or multicultural sites of significance.
Currently, five other areas in Ottawa are allowed to be open on New Year’s Day, Family Day, Victoria Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving, such as the ByWard Market because it’s proven to be a tourist destination.
The Byward Market BIA doesn’t believe the Glebe qualifies for a tourism exemption, and has expressed strong concerns about the city’s alleged favouritism.
Mayor Jim Watson says he doesn’t want to see neighbourhoods pitted against each other, preferring a citywide exemption by 2017, in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary.
If Ottawa wants to maximize on tourism spending in 2017, businesses should accommodate the diverse shopping habits of national and international visitors.
Montreal has already tapped into this potential influx of tourists, and their wallets.
Last year, the Quebec government approved the city’s request to declare its downtown as a designated tourist zone.
This regulation granted all retail stores within its boundaries the right to stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year-round.
Ottawa should follow Montreal’s lead and give retailers the option to remain open on statutory holidays.
Businesses should be able to operate according to their own needs and cultural beliefs.
They shouldn’t be confined to certain statutory holidays, many of which have little to no cultural significance for some retailers.
For example, Chinese-Canadian businesses may celebrate the Lunar New Year and don’t need to close on Jan. 1.
Similarly, non-British Canadians may not see the relevance of celebrating Victoria Day.
Giving local businesses a choice doesn’t mean they will force employees to work against their will.
Restaurants, movie theatres and small handicraft stores already stay open on holidays.
This means businesses can accommodate the needs of diverse customers without exploiting their staff.
Kettleman’s Bagel Co. has been open for 23 years on Christmas Day.
Last December, the bagel shop received complaints on social media, which suggested they forced employees to work on Christmas.
In response, Kettleman’s owner Craig Buckley posted on Facebook saying, “We are blessed by having multicultural and multi-religious employees. (Staff) were all paid time and a half and were under no obligation to work.”
The post went viral with almost 6,000 likes and 150 shares on Facebook.
Clearly, many supported Kettleman’s decision to remain open on Christmas.
That’s because retailers serve the needs of all Canadians.
Existing holiday closure rules favour certain demographics’ spending habits over others.
That’s not only bad for business, but it’s also unjust and outdated.
It’s time for all local retailers to accommodate the needs of diverse consumers.