Your malls are open on Victoria Day now, right?

Good morning from the Hammer — steel town, art town, your town. Don't look away.

So, listen, the province is making a big deal about letting more stores open on Victoria Day. The government says it’s all about “flexibility,” right? Ford was apparently getting all these calls from people just desperate to hit the shopping malls on a holiday. It’s a classic move from Queen's Park, trying to look like they're giving you more choice. But for us in Hamilton, it's a bit different.

### What This Means for Hamilton

For years, only certain places could open on holidays here. Think tourist spots, gas stations, pharmacies. Now, they're expanding that to include more retail.

* This means places like Limeridge Mall up on the Mountain, or those big box stores off the QEW at Burlington Street, could be bustling on a day that used to be a bit quieter.

* The idea is to give consumers more options, but it also changes the vibe of a long weekend, doesn't it?

* It impacts the people working those shifts too, right? More holiday pay for some, but also less time off for others.

I’m from the Mountain, right? And I remember when Victoria Day meant picnics in Gage Park or heading down to Webster's Falls to beat the heat, not fighting for a parking spot at the mall. Hamilton's always had its own rhythm, its own way of doing things, and a lot of that was about recognizing these holidays as actual days off. Now, it feels like another little piece of that gets chipped away for the sake of "flexibility." It's not the end of the world, but it sure changes how you plan your long weekend up here.

Good morning from the Hammer — steel town, art town, your town. Don't look away.

My cousin, Dragan, has some thoughts on this too — hear him and the crew discuss it on the morning show, mornings.live.