Food Fare threatened with fine for opening on Canada Day

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/06/2019 (2013 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Another statutory holiday, another threat of a fine for Food Fare.

All five Winnipeg Food Fare locations — and a few other local shops with more than four employees — opened their doors for Canada Day, in contravention of Manitoba’s Retail Businesses Holiday Closing Act. 

Silver Heights Food Fare manager Fouzie Zeid said officials with Manitoba Employment Standards went to the store after noon and asked for the names of employees, work schedules and records. He refused to give them the information and told them to leave. 

“And then they threatened us with a bunch of fines, and then they left,” he said. He wasn’t issued a fine but was told they could be issued in the coming days.

“We’re just trying to do our job today,” he said. “We were kind of expecting it. We’re just trying to provide for our customers.”

Ramsey Zeid, who manages the Maryland Street location, said no one from Employment Standards visited his store or multiple other Food Fares on Canada Day. On Good Friday, the Silver Heights location was similarly the only Food Fare store to get a visit from police — and a $10,000 ticket. (However, it turned out that that was done in error, and the store should have been issued with a notice to appear before a magistrate, who would decide what fine, if any, would apply for the offence.)

“Initially we were going to close, but then we found out that (Liquor Marts) are opening, and the casino was actually opening 24 hours straight… and all the (marijuana) dispensaries are opening,” Ramsey Zeid said.

McPhillips Street Station and Club Regent casinos are open overnight from June 28 until 3 a.m. July 2.

“So we decided, if you can gamble and you can smoke weed and you can buy alcohol, you should have a choice to buy groceries,” Ramsey Zeid said. “So that’s why we decided to open.”

Shoppers who visited the Silver Heights Food Fare location Monday were happy to have the chance to buy groceries for Canada Day celebrations.

Charity Rees said she needed food because she was hosting a group of people.

“If you can buy beer and marijuana today, why can’t you buy a loaf of bread?” Rees said. “I think it’s silly that they’re slapping people with thousand-dollar fines when we have such a huge crime problem in our city.”

A few blocks away, Family Foods on Portage Avenue opened as well.

Assistant manager Warren (who asked that his last name not be used) said it’s not the first time Family Foods has opened on a statutory holiday. They decided to open on Canada Day because of Food Fare’s plan to do so.

The law allows businesses to open on statutory holidays if they sell prepared meals, liquor, cannabis, gasoline, boat supplies or garden plants — as can stores that normally operate with four or fewer employees. Fruit stands are also exempt.

Home Depot locations across the city opened their garden centres on Monday, a recorded message on the stores’ phones confirms.

Ramsey Zeid said he asked staff for volunteers to work Canada Day and got more than enough takers who would earn double-time. “And it’s only a half day — so there’s still plenty of time for them to go and do other things this evening,” he said.

A petition to change the rules — inspired by the fine issued for the Good Friday opening— had about 2,000 signatures as of Canada Day.

Ramsey Zeid said it was important to him to open on Canada Day and fight for the right to open.

“We’re fighting for something that needs to be changed. We’re also proud of what we’re doing,” he said.

— With files from Caitlyn Gowriluk

tvanderhart@freepress.mb.ca

@tessavanderhart