Delays to Halifax road construction affects businesses

Businesses on Dutch Village Road in Halifax continue to be impacted by drawn out construction.

The $10M project on Dutch Village Road has seen a number of unexpected surprises and not in a good way according to the area councillor Kathryn Morse.

“They keep finding pipes that were abandoned on the road decades ago and not marked so its just surprise after surprise,” says Kathryn Morse, the area councillor.

Construction crews had planned to wrap up the work on the west side of the street and move onto the east side by next week, but this phase has since been extended.

The city says in a statement to CTV News that “crews encountered unmarked underground utility infrastructure” that’s keeping them in this phase longer.

“During work along the west side of Dutch Village Road, crews encountered unmarked underground utility infrastructure and more bedrock than expected in areas planned for new street tree planting. These unexpected conditions required additional work and time,” says Jake Fulton, on behalf of Halifax Regional Municipality in a statement to CTV News.

The area councillor says the construction crew was expecting to fix 40 pipes and have had to fix 70. But she insists the work is halfway done despite the challenges.

“We needed to do this ten years ago, or more so it’s a huge disruption, and the more you push a project off the more complicated it gets,” says Morse.

As for businesses in the area, they just want it done, as delays only hurt their business.

“It’s not really busy, as I said, we struggle financially. So our sales don’t keep up without expenses at all,” says Michael Samilliano who just opened The Village Diner a month ago.

He says if construction wasn’t a factor they would have many more people through their door, but right now it’s day-to-day and they are struggling. He admits that compensation from the city would be a huge help.

“If they could compensate us or even a program that could help us that would be really really appreciated,” adds Samilliano.

Others are feeling the pressures as well.

“All the businesses are facing the same challenges, big or small, private or chain,” says Mohammad Ashiq, Hello Pets, Co-owner.

The shops and restaurants along this street are rallying together to support one another as well as make their voices heard.

“The city and the province should step up but also there has to be some form of accountability on the company who is doing the construction, so they stay on time and complete the work on time,” adds Ashiq.

The hope was to have construction completed by December but with delays slowing the move to the next phase, these businesses aren’t confident.

“Now it’s extended to September 19, and will there be any core extension? And if there is how do you plan for that as a small independent business? It’s just us,” says Ashiq.

The city says the next phase is getting southbound traffic moving and then moving onto the east side. The city says in a statement to CTV News that the municipality will provide advance notice of changes to traffic flow in this area.

Although, some businesses say they weren’t aware of plans for this project to begin with.

“We were not aware of this work when we got into this place. So, we are not aware of the whole story or the whole project, yet it’s so sudden,” says Samilliano.

With the colder months approaching the city says most roadwork will be paused due to the temperatures.

“As a result, some minor outstanding work may be required in spring 2026 to complete the project,” says Fulton in his statement on behalf of the city.

In the meantime businesses are doing the best they can whether that’s adding more delivery services, or working with online orders, they are just trying to hold until the project is complete.

“It’s a very scary thought to be very honest, the pet store is kind of an extension of us. It’s our small little business and for the last couple of years, we just turned three. And we have worked tirelessly on getting to where we are now. The thought of construction kind of affects that and us not being able to do what we love, and enjoy it, it’s scary,” adds Ashiq.

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