The issue of Sunday shopping is up for debate again in Fredericton, as the city is urged to allow stores to open beyond the current 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Storeowner Andrew Wilkins has opened his shop on Sunday for the past six years.
"In the summer, we benefit from a lot of tourists who are passing by and drop in and it's surprising the number of people who need last-minute hostess gifts or things on a weekend," says Wilkins.
In Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, the same Sunday shopping rules apply to all merchants, regardless of where they are located.
In New Brunswick, the province has delegated that decision to the municipalities.
Municipalities are now being lobbied by the Retail Council of Canada to extend their Sunday shopping hours.
Fredericton City Council said it would not decide until it has heard from retailers.
The council conducted a survey and found that 65 per cent are in favour of merchants being able to choose what hours they open.
"They were responding in a way that indicated they wanted to have choices of hours, but their choice might be to stay open when they are open now, which is noon to five," says Krista Ross of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.
While two-thirds of respondents want options, more than one-in-ten would like to have Sunday off.
“We had about 14 per cent of those surveyed who responded by saying they would rather not be open at all and they would like for there not to be opening Sunday hours," says Ross.
The city has yet to review the survey results and declined to comment until it had seen the report.
As for Andrew Wilkins, he opens his store from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays and he wants to keep it that way.
“It gives staff time on Sunday morning if they want to go to church, have a lie-in, or brunch, to do that beforehand and they're off early enough to spend time with family and friends in the evening," says Wilkins.
There is no word when, or if, a decision on Sunday hours might come.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell
