Family Day Holiday Helps Tourist-Resort Destinations North in Ontario

North of Toronto.............................February 2008. Tourist destinations north of Toronto will be looking forward to the new long weekend resulting from the Family Day Holiday designation on February 18. Many resorts, hotels, cottages, inns, north of Toronto have put together getaway weekend packages or special one night package rates, daily events, suggested day trips for family fun activities. Many winter carnivals have extended the dates to include the holiday Monday, and many attractions are hosting one day special events for families.

Adding Family Day to the calendar would give Ontario workers and families a total of nine statutory holidays per year, putting the province on par with Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. In addition, although not recognized as a statutory holiday under the Employment Standards Act, the first Monday in August is observed as a civic holiday in many Ontario municipalities.

The NEW holiday will take place on the third Monday of every February staring in 2008.

Ron Taylor Publisher of Ontario Travel North of Toronto says, “This is great news for the many families that will get out and explore Ontario’s Great outdoors during the winter months. The extra holiday allows for a longer weekend. There is no doubt that this will encourage visitors to head north into cottage and resort country as well as visit destinations like Ottawa and Sudbury.”

WINTER CARNVIALS

Winter carnivals are taking place in Ottawa, Haliburton, and Penetanguishene. See Ontario Winter Carnivals

GETAWAY PACKAGES FOR FAMILY DAY

The Clarion Resort Pinewood Park Spa in North Bay is offering Family Day Long Weekend with one Free Night. Stay for both Friday February 15th and Saturday February 16th and stay for free on Sunday February 17th! Some restrictions apply. http://400eleven.com/getaways-family.html#clarion

Deerhurst Resort near Huntsville will appeal to Aspiring stars and fans of High School Musical and other pop hits get to join the LIVE at Deerhurst cast for drumming, singing and dancing workshops to rehearse for a special pre-show performance at Canada Rocks. http://400eleven.com/getaways-family.html#deerhurst

Best Western Highland Inn & Conference Centre in Midland is offering a 30/30 rate - Thirty reasons to extend your stay for $30.00 - if you are a guest in the hotel extend your stay from an 11:00 am check out to a 6:00 pm check out for $30.00 plus taxes. Room rate special for Sunday February 17th $85.99 for a traditional room plus taxes. WINTER GETAWAY PACKAGES

Additional family day accommodation getaways for North of Toronto locations please see Ontario Family Getaways

The Ontario Government reminds Shoppers and merchants that under the Retail Business Holidays Act (RBHA), Family Day, February 18, is one of nine days per year when most stores in Ontario must be closed.

See additional Ontario Holiday Long Weekends. This year is the first time that Family Day will be celebrated. The holiday will take place on the third Monday of every February.

The RBHA allows book or magazine stores under 2,400 square feet with a maximum of three employees, pharmacies under 7,500 square feet, flower shops and gas stations to remain open on holidays. In some municipalities, local bylaws allow other stores to remain open in

locations established as tourist areas by specific municipal by-laws. Any questions about tourism designations or local hours of retail operation should be directed to the local tourist destination municipal clerk's office.

The RBHA strikes a balance between allowing certain retail businesses to remain open and providing employees and consumers with a common day of pause. To inquire about which types of retail operations are exempt from the RBHA and

what businesses can remain open on Family Day, please call the ministry at 416-326-8800 or toll-free at 1-800-889-9768. For more information on Family Day and the Employment Standards Act,
please see the recent background release from Ontario's Ministry of Labour at:
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/news/2008/08-05b.html

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For further information: Ref: Store Openings, Public Inquiries: (416)
326-8800 or 1-800-889-9768; Ciaran Ganley, Ministry of Government and Consumer
Services, (416) 325-8659; Ref: Rates of pay and other labour-related issues,

Public Inquiries (Employers and Workers): (416) 326-7160 or 1-800-531-5551;
Bruce Skeaff, Ministry of Labour, (416) 326-7405

Publisher's Note:
Note: Not all employees will receive the Family Day Holiday in February 2008. The holiday will depend on existing agreements or holidays already assigned. Each individual employer will arrange with employees to determine the best means of taking the Ontario family holiday. More information and opinions on Ontario's new Family Day can be found at http://www.nupge.ca/news_2007/n12oc07b.htm

Ontario residents will look forward to a winter holiday long weekend starting in 2008.
400ELEVEN has developed a number of Winter Getaways with more than 170 members north of Toronto providing a variety of outdoor winter getaway weekends at resorts, inns, hotels and the many resort destinations north of Toronto. Many residents may start their holiday on the Thurs February 14, Valentines day and create a very long weekend. See February for Lovers for romantic getaways.