Under the provincial legislation, stores must be closed on Canada Day. But Perth council last night exempted local stores from the provincial regulations by declaring Perth a tourism area.

When a municipality takes that step, provincial regulations allow stores to remain open and fines won’t be levied. 

This year, several store owners were warned by Perth police when they stayed open on Canada Day. The confusion arose when the town repealed its 13-year old retail store opening bylaw earlier this year to allowing stores to stay open at any hour on Sundays.

As a designated “tourism area,” stores can now remain open on all stat holidays, except Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday.