Some retailers and members of the public favour a proposal for the province to make Sunday shopping hours more flexible, while others worry about its effects.
The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce is calling on the province to overhaul regulations for Sunday shopping.
"We need to allow retailers to determine their own hours based on when their customers want to shop," said Dave Angus, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
Some shoppers and retail workers CTV News spoke with said they like the idea of having stores open earlier than noon on Sunday, while others said it could make it harder for retail staff to find time to spend with family and friends.
Opinions on making retail hours flexible on Sundays are also mixed among the business community, said Manitoba's Labour Minister Jennifer Howard.
"The last time we went through changing the law, there was a broad consensus and compromise. So if we were to go ahead and look at the law we'd need to see the same kind of consensus. I don't see that right now within the business community itself," said Howard.
The Labour Minister said, however, that she is willing to look at the issue of Sunday shopping once more. The law on Sunday shopping was last changed 16 years ago.
The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce says a big issue for next year is that Boxing Day falls on a Sunday.
"The busiest shopping day of the year is going to be restricted in hours. Not good for the consumer, not good for the retailer," said Angus.
The Chamber will bring up the issue of Sunday shopping on Wednesday when it meets with the labour minister on another issue.
- with a report from CTV's Eleanor Coopsammy
