Some Kingston retailers staying open on Easter weekend thanks to city bylaw

Kingstonians out strolling along Princess Street may have noticed some shops open for business this Easter long weekend.

Stores in the area have had the option to stay open for business on stat holidays since a bylaw was passed in April 2016 declaring downtown Kingston a tourist area, exempting nearby businesses from the Retail Business Holiday Act throughout the year.

Steve White, the owner of End of the Thread Antique Emporium on Princess St., decided to take advantage of the exemption this holiday weekend.

“My son’s in town, so we just figured we’ll open up the store,” he explained. “We don’t have staffing today — we’re just doing it ourselves.”

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White noted he doesn’t push his other employees to work on stat holidays. “As long the staff are given a choice — you have to respect your staff and their family situations,” he said.

The recent provincial minimum-wage hike also factors into that decision, he said.

“The cost of employing people [at] one-and-a-half times [their rate] plus stat holiday pay, plus the new increase in wages, you have to sell a lot of goods just to pay the staff,” he noted.

Though it’s been a few years since the bylaw was passed, opinions are still mixed from retailers and shoppers alike.

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“I’m actually really glad this is open on Easter,” shopper Andrea Salamanta said. “I mean, a lot of places aren’t open.”

“It’s nice that they’re open, but people shouldn’t have to work [on holidays],” countered Paula Wycott.