Glebe to stay open Thanksgiving Monday — and 5 other holidays
OMB upholds council decision to allow Glebe businesses to open on stat holidays
Businesses in the Glebe will be allowed to stay open on six statutory holidays after the Ontario Municipal Board on Thursday upheld an Ottawa city council decision from earlier this year to give the neighbourhood an exemption from provincial legislation.
That means Whole Foods — which was once charged for opening illegally on Good Friday in 2015 — and other shops in the Glebe business improvement area will be able to legally open on Thanksgiving Monday, and five other statutory holidays: New Year's Day, Family Day, Victoria Day, Canada Day, and Labour Day.
The Glebe BIA was thrilled with the decision, tweeting its delight.
Huge win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Glebe?src=hash">#Glebe</a>! OMB sides in favor of allowing shops <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/intheglebe?src=hash">#intheglebe</a> to remain open on Statutory Holidays! Thanksgiving will be 1st one
—@intheglebeThe BIA's executive director, Andrew Peck, said it's up to business owners whether they want to stay open on any or all of the exempted dates.
"I think it's great news," said Peck. "We have been working on this for a very, very long time. This is the first area outside the immediate downtown that has been granted this exemption and it's because in 2016 this area is rockin'."
In a split vote, council approved the openings last February, but the Ottawa and District Labour Council appealed the exemption to the OMB, a quasi-judicial provincial body that can review and overturn some council decisions.
The council's president Sean McKenny said his group is "disappointed" by the decision, as he believes keeping businesses open on statutory holidays diminishes the quality of life for workers.
"We think it's the wrong decision," McKenny said. "We think statutory holidays are important for families. For workers in the Glebe, where's their time to spend with loved ones on holidays?"
The OMB heard this case this week in Ottawa, and was dismissed Thursday morning by board member Richard Makuch.