Complaints to malls from shoppers who don't enjoy the sounds of the Salvation Army's Bells led some malls to tell the Salvation Army to stop ringing its bells. Some shoppers find the constant noise of the bells to be irritating and as such asked malls to stop letting Salvation Army donation collectors ring their bells. In response some malls acquisced to this request by these shoppers.
The malls asked for the public's opinion of this issue. The public overwhelmingly agreed that the Salvation Army should be allowed to continue ringing bells. The Salvation Army claims that it has proof that donations decrease if collector's stop ringing their bells.
The Christmas campaign is the largest fundraiser for the Salvation Army.
Earlier Lougheed Mall and Oakridge Mall had requested that Salvation Army kettle stations be silent. In response to this public opinion poll Lougheed Mall is now retracting this requirement and is in fact doubling the number of Salvation Army kettle stations to six. Oakridge Mall management say that they are flexible on the issue, but the Salvation Army cannot be allowed to ring bells constantly during the twelve hours in which the mall is open.
Much of the public feels that the Salvation Army drive is reminiscent of the Christmas spirit.
