HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s tourism industry has lodged a complaint with the provincial ombudsman to pressure the province to allow Sunday shopping.

The industry’s main lobby group says the law is unfair because it allows some stores to open and forces others to shut down on Sundays.

“The act discriminates against certain businesses,” Judith Cabrita, director of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia, said Thursday.

“What we’re calling for is the deregulation of retail hours.”

Nova Scotia is the only province with a year-round ban on openings at most stores on Sundays and holidays. Prince Edward Island allows Sunday openings only in the few weeks leading up to Christmas.

The Nova Scotia law, known as the Retail Business Uniform Closing Day Act, says some stores are allowed to open on Sundays based on what they sell, such as fruit, books, and video rentals.

But other stores are allowed to open only if they are less than 4,000 square feet, such as convenience stores and grocery stores. Department stores, large grocery stores and most other big outlets are forced to close.