Montreal toy store owner fined thousands for surpassing operating hours – Montreal

A Montreal toy retailer proprietor has been fined hundreds for surpassing working hours.

“After we obtained the fantastic, it was the worst gut-wrenching expertise we ever had in our lives,” mentioned Yannis Felemegos, proprietor of Jouets LOL Toys situated in Parc-Extension.

Final winter, in Febraury 2020, an inspector from Quebec’s Ministry of Financial system and Innovation dropped by the shop unannounced.

Later within the yr, Felemegos obtained a $2,250 fantastic within the mail for working his retailer previous 5 p.m., going towards a provincial regulation governing the working hours of economic institutions.

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“I want that each ranges of governments, municipal and provincial, take a really shut take a look at the contributions that small companies have given over time,” mentioned Felemegos.

The family-run enterprise is scheduled to seem in courtroom on Oct. 12, 2021, to contest the fantastic.

“Even when we lose, the scenario has to vary — small companies can’t proceed to outlive after we are preventing a conflict type to talk with our opponents,” mentioned Felemegos.

As a small retail retailer, Felemegos’s toy store is already struggling to compete with large shops and different firms that additionally promote on-line. He provides that the provincial regulation is many years previous and may afford extra flexibility to small companies as they wrestle to recuperate from the pandemic.

Jouets LOL Toys additionally gives artwork lessons and toys for youngsters with particular wants as they can be utilized for instructional functions. Nonetheless, due to the strict opening and shutting hours, Felemegos can’t preserve these lessons going, as they don’t match the working hours set by the federal government.

“We even have grasp college students coming to our retailer, analyzing our toys and studying from right here,” mentioned Julie Drakoulakou, who has a background in occupational remedy. “We attempt to educate kids how you can use their fantastic motor (expertise) and to play issues with their palms, and to stimulate their improvement.”

The small enterprise is going through courtroom tomorrow in hopes of creating a change.

Quebec’s economic system ministry and mayor’s cupboard didn’t reply to our request for remark.