More Sunday openings for Sobeys

The grocery chain Sobeys is opening five more stores in Nova Scotia this Sunday, days before it challenges the province's rules on Sunday shopping in court.

Sobeys spokesman Gerald Weseen said Thursday three of the stores are in the Halifax region, one is in Truro and the other in New Minas.

"The stores are structured in a manner that's consistent with what's currently done at the other six stores," he said.

In Nova Scotia, stores with more than 4,000 square feet of retail space are not allowed to open on Sundays. Smaller boutiques, specialty stores and pharmacies are the exception.

In June, Sobeys followed the move of competitor Atlantic Superstore and subdivided six of its stores into smaller businesses to get around the Sunday shopping ban.

The provincial government reacted by changing the regulations so that companies could no longer do that.

No charges laid

Armed with measuring tape, Halifax police visited several stores. On Aug. 10, they said no charges would be laid against Sobeys or Superstore.

Weseen said that announcement helped Sobeys decide to expand its operations on Sundays.

The grocery chain is due in courton Aug. 30 to challenge the province's regulations.Sobeys claims they unfairly benefit its competitors. Superstore, which has cited similar complaints about the regulations,is intervening in the case.

Pete's Frootique owner Pete Luckett was the firstgrocer to subdivide his business, first skirting the ban in 1999.

He won a court case that year, with the judge ruling Pete's Frootique in Bedford could legally open under the province's Sunday shopping legislation.

Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald admitted earlier this week that he shops on Sundays, but said he supports the results of the 2004 plebiscite.

In a close vote, Nova Scotians chose to maintain the status quo on Sunday shopping.

The premier has promised another plebiscite on the issue in 2008.