Businesses will be able to remain open on Monday, a public holiday in Prince Edward Island

CHARLOTTETOWN — Small businesses in Prince Edward Island say they have been assured they will be allowed to stay open on Monday, even though the provincial government has declared a statutory holiday to mark the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. .

Michelle Wasylyshen, spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, said businesses will have to follow provincial overtime rules if employees are working on the holiday.

She maintains that her association had asked the provincial governments not to force, in such a short time, merchants to close on Monday, because of the “significant” costs for employers.

Canada’s smallest province is the only one to declare Monday a « holiday », after Ottawa announced on Tuesday that it would be a holiday for all federal government employees.

Ms. Wasylyshen also points out that a number of businesses have only just resumed their activities after two years of disruption caused by the pandemic.

She also recalls that it will be up to each of the traders to decide whether or not they wish to open their doors on Monday.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business CEO Dan Kelly argued Tuesday that if provincial governments follow Ottawa’s lead, « many small businesses, such as restaurants, hotels and movie theatres, would be forced to pay additional to stay open” on Monday.