‘The system is broken’: Construction exasperating Winnipeg business owners

Whether you are driving or walking, it’s hard to miss signs that construction season is underway in Winnipeg.

The roadblocks are not only slowing down commuters, but businesses too.

Tamara Cook, the owner of Blondie Hair Bar, just opened her store about two weeks ago. She says the construction has been making it difficult for customers to access her salon.

“You start to tell people that you can park out front, it’s amazing and we don’t have any issues. Then a week after you open, they (the city) puts all these pylons up and there’s nobody working,” said Cook.

Nearby at Dug & Betty’s Ice Creamery, it’s the same story.

“It’s certainly hard,” said Chris Kirouac, the general manager of Dug and Betty’s. “With us, we are a seasonal business, and we haven’t had the greatest season. The weather has been pretty bad, and to top that off there’s now no parking for people and the weather is not as nice.”

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) says about 66 per cent of Manitoba small businesses have been affected by construction.

It’s why they are calling on municipalities like Winnipeg to provide some financial relief, such as compensation for lost revenue or tax breaks.

“We have seen a few cities implement policies like this,” said Brianna Solberg, the CFIB’s director of legislative affairs for the Prairies and northern Canada. “For example, Montreal, Calgary, and Quebec City all have some form of compensation available to businesses who lose revenues when faced with public infrastructure work.”

In a statement to CityNews, Mayor Scott Gillingham’s spokesperson, Colin Fast, said the city is focusing its efforts in speeding up construction, including hiring Winnipeg’s first-ever chief construction officer.

“The system is broken. Something is not right,” said Kirouac. “The sheer amount of construction is just too much, it’s just too much for small businesses to handle.”

Added Cook: “Maybe they could hire a night crew like other cities do and get the work done in a timely fashion rather than it be all summer, that would be ideal.”