New Brunswickers prepare for first Family Day as businesses have mixed feelings over new holiday

As New Brunswickers head into their first Family Day long weekend, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce CEO Krista Ross says it’s a bittersweet time for businesses.

Ross said that while business owners recognize the importance of family and supporting a work-life balance, she said the paid public holiday is an economic hit to the business community, and another added cost of doing business in the province.

She said Family Day coupled with WorkSafe NB premiums, HST, minimum-wage hikes, property tax, land-transfer tax, gas tax and diesel tax, are creating a challenge for businesses in many sectors.

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“We’re hearing lots of people say, ‘Oh thanks to the government for a day off,’ and that’s great, but I think they really should be thanking their employer because that’s who’s paying for it,” Ross said.

Ross said businesses are losing a day of productive sales and are still having to pay their employees.

“It’s a very difficult thing for businesses to absorb,” Ross said. “We’ve been very interested in finding out what the overall economic impact of this is, and we’d love to see a study. We had heard that there might be a study that had been done by government but we actually haven’t seen it, so we would certainly welcome being able to see what the overall economic impact is to business with this decision and the implementation of Family Day.”

In a recent news release, New Brunswick Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture John Ames, said having a new February holiday puts New Brunswick in line with eight other Canadian jurisdictions that have eight paid public holidays annually.

Ames said Family Day will increase opportunities for the hospitality industry, as well as other sectors.

“I encourage all New Brunswickers to make the most of their Family Day long weekend by taking part in community events and outdoor recreation. Family Day provides an excellent opportunity to ski, snowboard, snowshoe, go snowmobiling or visit one of the province’s museums or cultural centres,” Ames said in the release.

The Radical Edge bike and ski shop in Fredericton is one of several businesses offering a Family Day weekend deal to customers.

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The Radical Edge outdoor morale officer and manager Brian Conoley said the holiday is a chance to encourage New Brunswickers to “go outside and play.”

“To try and encourage outdoor adventure and play, we have $5 rentals on all of our camping gear and snowshoes, so we have sleeping bags, sleeping pads, snowshoes, tents, and usually, they are about $30-$35 per item for the weekend, but we’re offering them from today until Tuesday for $5 a piece, just as our way of saying, ‘Please, go, play,'” Conoley said.

Conoley said they have 20 sets of snowshoes for rental and said they are running out quickly.

He said every long weekend, they close on Sundays and Mondays to give their staff the chance to go out and have an adventure of their own so they can come back happy and are able to share their outdoor experiences with customers who want to have similar ones.

“We’re a family-owned business so we do understand that when that door’s not open, we’re not making money, but we also have a very low turnaround and a very dedicated staff and they want to come to work because the way we prioritize our values… So for us, we’re excited for it, we’re happy that it’s happening and what you maybe didn’t make on Monday, you can make up with a positive sales floor throughout the entire year,” Conoley said.

“We’re quite excited and we understand the financial downfalls for some other people, but we’re lucky enough that we’re busy most days the doors are open, so we’re looking forward to it,” Conoley said.

The provincial government has launched a Family Day website with information of events happening across New Brunswick.