Toronto retailers are getting ready to talk shop with the city as Toronto councillors prepare to determine which merchants can do business on holidays.

The economic development department is looking at revamping its current holiday shopping bylaw through a series of public consultations scheduled for this week at civic centres. Previous meetings since last November saw a divide between retailers whether to open or close on public holidays.

“We need a set of rules that are fair and equitable,” said Councillor Mary Fragedakis, who heads the city’s Holiday Shopping Subcommittee. “We have heard from people out there who feel it’s not fair.”

Under the current municipal code, stores must close on nine public or retail holidays, which include Christmas, Easter Sunday, Canada Day and Thanksgiving.

Toronto’s municipal code, however, allows stores in designated toursim areas to remain open.

As it stands now, only five business districts in Toronto are designated as tourist zones: Queens Quay W., Toronto Eaton Centre and Hudson’s Bay Company, downtown Yonge St., Bloor-Yorkville and the Distillery District.

Some businesses outside of those zones said they should get the same opportunity to cash in on sales.

“I’d like to open on holidays,” said Jangchup Dorjee, the owner of Potala Gift Shop on Queen St. E. in the Beach.

“If we can’t open, we can’t pay the rent. On holidays, people shop and we can’t open. On weekdays, it’s empty and we’re open. It doesn’t make sense.”

Thousands head to the Beach for the annual Easter parade and many shopkeepers have defied the holiday shopping law in the past, risking a fine by opening their registers.

On the flipside, other retailers in the tourist districts said it might be nice to have a day off on a holiday.

“It’d be nice to spend some time with family,” said one man at a Yonge St. clothing store.

A restaurateur in the downtown Yonge St. zone said holiday shopping on helps his business, which is legally allowed to stay open 365 days a years.

“If the Eaton Centre is open on holidays where most other retailers are not, they’ll flock here and for us, it can only help,” said Khoa Dao, manager of Asian Bowl on Yonge St.

The Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, which represents 32,000 Toronto businesses and property owners, has been trying to designate all BIAs as “holiday-shopping exempt” for years. The association said this same issue has been heard at city council twice in the past three years without progress.

“This issue is a bit of a political hot potato,” said TABIA executive director John Kiru.

“Other regions have moved forward. Square One and Pacific Mall are tourist attractions. Pacific Mall is not much more of a tourist site as Yorkdale Mall, and yet, Yorkdale has to stay closed.”

Kiru noted he has received mixed feedback from his members on holiday shopping, but it’s about “ability to choose.”

A report on this week’s consultations will go to the economic development committee in the fall. City council will have the final say.

“I’m not sure if (an amendment) will be ready for the holiday season this year,” Fragedakis said. “It’s possible it could be.”

To find out when and where the consultations are taking place, go to: toronto.ca/holidayshopping.