Civic holiday shopping finally comes to Greater Sudbury
Sudbury bylaw regulating store hours was struck down in a referendum held in December of 2014
Going to the grocery store or mall today is something most people in Ontario don't think twice about — but in Sudbury, it's a first.
Until recently, Sudbury still had laws regulating when stores could be open. Shops could not be open past 10 p.m., and they weren't allowed to open at all on Boxing Day or the Civic holiday Monday.
A Cambrian College professor who studies retail trends in the city said some thought the extra work hours would be unfavourable to family life.
"Stores were not allowed to be open and there was a lot of outcry," Brian Vendramin said.
"It was, you know, 'we're a union town. And we need to be closed. We shouldn't be having these late hours because it's detrimental to families.' And finally city government decided that we should have a referendum vote."
In December the majority of residents voted to strike down the law.
Now retailers can decide for themselves whether to open for business.
Jon Querney, who owns an office supply store in downtown Sudbury, led the fight to let businesses decide. He first asked the city to change the rules back in 1995.
"I didn't want council telling me how to run my business. They don't have a stake in my business. That was big for me," he said.
Querney said his store will be closed on the Civic Holiday. But he's happy to have the choice.