The controversial issue of city council regulating retail store hours may surface again in the not too distant future.
The Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC) passed a motion Wednesday to form an ad hoc committee to study the issue of getting government out of the business of regulating retail store hours in this community.
?From a strictly economic development perspective, restricting store hours is hindering development in this community,? said GSDC chair John Caruso.
?If we want to put forward the image of being the retail hub of northeastern Ontario? this issue is going to have to be revisited.?
Several times in the past 20 years, various members of different city councils have had to tackle to issue of the city bylaw that dictates when retailers can or can?t be open for business.
The City of Greater Sudbury remains one of the few cities in the province which doesn?t allow retailers
to be open whenever they want to.
Almost all retail outlets in the city must close by 9 pm, although council several years ago allowed for an exception allowing Chapters on The Kingsway to remain open until midnight.
The book retail outlet did remain open until late evening for some time, but eventually reverted back to closing at 9 pm.
Caruso mentioned how Home Depot advertises across the country for its regular ?Midnight Madness? sales between late evening and the early morning.
?We can?t have that sale here because of this bylaw,? said Caruso.
The ad hoc committee will report back to the board once a final report is completed. The board will then approach city council with proposed changes, said Caruso.
?Keith Lacey
