The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Flin Flon retailers have the right to open for an additional three hours on Sundays without any action from city council. As of Aug. 1, the Manitoba government permits municipalities to introduce bylaws that that allow Sunday shopping to begin at 9 a.m. rather than noon. But because of the way the city's 2002 bylaw on Sunday shopping was worded, no new policy allowing the extended hours is needed in the case of Flin Flon. As of Wednesday afternoon, Municipal Administrator Mark Kolt said two businesses had contacted the city about its policy and were told the new Sunday hours are legal. Council still has the option of restricting Sunday shopping between 9 a.m. and noon, but that would require an amendment to the bylaw _ and no councillors have publicly indicated an interest in doing so. Kory Eastman, president of the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce, said earlier this year that he welcomes expanded Sunday shopping. 'The chamber would always be in favour of merchants having the choice to make those decisions,' he said. 'But obviously, hopefully there's a happy medium that can be reached between business needs and employees.' Indeed consideration is given to employee needs. The province says workers have the right to refuse work on Sundays, provided they give their employer at least 14 days notice. The full 14 days notice is not required for the first two Sundays of August; however, employees must give their employer as much notice as is reasonable. Moreover, employment standards officers are authorized to order an employer to compensate or reinstate an employee penalized for exercising their right to refuse work on a Sunday. The newly extended hours apply not only to Sundays, but also to Louis Riel Day, Victoria Day and Thanksgiving Day. They pertain to businesses with four or more employees at work at the same time. Businesses with fewer employees continue to set their own hours with few restrictions. 'Less restrictive' Manitoba Labour Minister Jennifer Howard said the change responds 'to the desire of consumers and businesses to find ways to make Sunday shopping in Manitoba less restrictive while respecting that some employees may prefer not to work expanded hours.' 'We have listened to what Manitobans have asked for and made practical changes,' she added in a news release. Not long after Walmart opened in November 2002, city council met to pass a bylaw allowing stores with more than four employees to open on Sundays. The city's lack of such a bylaw had been brought to the attention of council a week prior, prompting two special meetings to be called so the policy could be put in place. Though the bylaw never foresaw Sunday shopping between 9 a.m. and noon, its wording allowed for such future changes.
