The local Lakeshore Village BIA has joined others in calling on the province to ban big box stores from selling non-essential items.

BIA officials have been warning that small businesses in Lakeshore Village and other areas as Long Branch, Mimico and Alderwood are suffering as there are long lineups for big box stores at Sherway Gardens Mall.

A letter was sent to Premier Doug Ford on January 18 by Councillor Brad Bradford and John Kiru, of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA), warning that the current public health measures are having a huge impact on small, locally-owned businesses.

They said the letter was on behalf of Toronto’s 84 Business Improvement Areas, which represents more than 70,000 businesses and property owners across the city.

“We are asking you to take urgent action by going one step further in the orders and mandating big box stores and other retailers selling essential goods to close off sections of their stores where non-essential items are displayed,” the businesses told the Premier.

It said that under the latest emergency order big box stores can sell non-essential items in-store and after-hours.

“This puts small businesses at a disadvantage and is a public health concern as it may encourage non-essential travel,” Ford was told.

The province is being asked to demand some changes from the big box stores.

“We are asking you to take urgent action by going one step further in the orders and mandating big box stores and other retailers selling essential goods to close off sections of their stores where non-essential items are displayed,” the letter urged.

It noted that the big box stores need to be kept open to provide essentials goods for folks, especially given the geography and access to online shopping across Ontario.

“But there is also an imperative to be fair with main street businesses who have made incredible sacrifices throughout the pandemic,’ the business owners said.

They are calling for the new public health measures to further curb non-essential travel and to be equitable to all business operators and continue delivering on the support promised to small business owners throughout the health crisis.

Ford for his part last week told residents to forget about the big box stores and support their local businesses.