Neil Creighton was pleased that the Longo’s Maple Leaf Square store in downtown Toronto was open Labour Day, because he was able to buy extra food for a barbecue with friends.

“Being able to zoom in and get some stuff — it’s really convenient. For me, as a consumer there isn’t a downside, truly there isn’t,” said Creighton, 37, who lives in the neighbourhood populated by condos.

He’d already shopped for the party, but extra guests meant he had to buy more and he was glad he didn’t have to seek out a convenience store, which would generally carry a more limited supply at higher prices.

“I love it, who wouldn’t?” said Linda McCallum, another local resident who got her grocery shopping out of the way early in the morning.

But as both shoppers also pointed out, it may not be so great for those who have to work on public holidays.

Whether retailers should be allowed to open holidays is a question that never seems to go away in Toronto.

Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Ltd. is only the most recent retailer to win an exception to the municipal bylaw that requires most retailers to remain closed on nine public holidays.

The family-owned chain challenged the Toronto holiday shopping bylaw in court, winning on the grounds that the Maple Leaf Square location also serves prepared food — a provision the city argues was meant to apply only to restaurants and fast food outlets.

While the Maple Leaf Square location was open on Labour Day, other Longos locations were closed.

The best-known exception to the city bylaw is probably Toronto Eaton Centre, which was packed with back-to-school shoppers this weekend. It’s exempt because it is a designated tourist attraction, and closes only one day a year: Christmas Day.

Sherway Gardens and Yorkdale were closed on Monday. So was the Sobeys closest to Maple Leaf Square, while Longo’s was doing brisk business.

The issue is headed for debate once again on Sept. 30, when the city solicitor is scheduled to report on the impact of the recent court ruling.

Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, has said it plans to fight attempts by retailers to open on holidays. The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers would like to see the ban on holiday shopping lifted for all retailers.

“Retailers shouldn’t be open on Labour Day. It’s a community day, not a shopping day. It’s a day for families to come together,” said Derek Johnstone, Ontario regional director for United Food and Commercial Workers Canada, which represents retail workers.

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Johnstone was among the thousands who participated in the Labour Day parade in downtown Toronto on Monday, an annual event that celebrates workers and their families and the progress that has been made in establishing safe working conditions and fair wages.

A spokesman for Toronto Police was unable to say Monday afternoon whether any businesses in the city had been fined for breaking the bylaw.