Ford Changes Victoria Day Rules, Is Costco Open On Victoria Day
Ontario retailers will have the option to open on Victoria Day, and that means is costco open on victoria day is now tied to the province’s changed holiday rules. For the first time since the Ford government changed those rules, stores in Ontario can choose to open on Monday.
A spokesperson for Stephen Crawford, the minister of public and business service delivery and procurement, said retailers would have the option to open, while staff should not be required to work. The spokesperson also said the changes will give employees the flexibility to agree to pick up extra shifts at increased pay while keeping their right to take the day off.
Stephen Crawford and Victoria Day
The government change covers Victoria Day and Family Day, expanding the list of stores and malls that can open on those holidays. Crawford’s office told Global News, “By giving retailers the option to open on Family Day and Victoria Day, we are supporting employees and businesses while giving families more choice and convenience to shop at their local retail stores.”
The same statement added, “These changes will give employees the flexibility to agree to pick up extra shifts at increased pay, while maintaining their right to take the day off.” For shoppers, the practical result is simple: Ontario stores may open on Victoria Day, but workers are not required to give up the holiday.
Doug Ford on Feb. 17
Doug Ford first said on Feb. 17 that opening stores would add to GDP. He also said, “I know it would add to our GDP,” and added, “That would probably add close to a million working hours that people could pocket.”
That earlier argument now sits beside the government’s decision to move ahead with the rule change. The policy gives retailers a choice on Monday and leaves employees with the ability to decide whether to take the shift or take the holiday off.
Marit Stiles on family time
Marit Stiles criticized the change and said, “The whole point is that people deserve to have some time off with their family,” and, “We have these holidays so everybody gets a chance to spend time with their family, and they should be able to.” Her comments put the holiday’s time-off purpose directly against the government’s push for more retail flexibility.
That divide leaves Ontario shoppers with more opening options and workers with a choice about shifts and pay on Victoria Day. For anyone planning to shop, the change means opening hours will depend on each store; for employees, the province says the day still comes with the right to decline work.
