Tim Hortons Controversy
In 2000, Tim Hortons, which had 44 locations throughout London, sought to open its first full-service location in Byron. At the time, Tim Hortons's presence in Byron was limited to a kiosk inside the A&P grocery store with no seating, limited hours, and a limited menu.
Tim Hortons was met by bitter opposition from a small group of members of the community, which had also stopped an entry by Tim Hortons into Byron in 1998. Some members of the group claimed building a Tim Hortons would ruin the "small-town atmosphere" that they claimed Byron to have by generating too much traffic and noise.
London City Council sided with local residents and refused to rezone a parcel of land along Commissioners Road to permit Tim Hortons to build a store there. TDL Group Ltd. appealed the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), and the OMB sided with TDL and ordered the City to permit the required rezoning. Tim Hortons opened its Byron location in December 2001.
Read more about this topic: Byron, Ontario
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