Pilot program could help Brantford businesses recover from theft and vandalism

CTV’s Colton Wiens finds out how a Brantford city councillor wants help businesses facing repeated vandalism and theft.

A Brantford councillor is urging the city to step in and help businesses that have been the victims of theft and vandalism.

Mandy Samwell, the councillor representing Ward 5, is hoping some of the city’s surplus can go into a Vandalism Prevention and Restoration Pilot Program for small businesses.

“I’m hearing so often from business owners that are really facing hard times with different vandalism and damage and disruption that’s happening to them,” she told CTV News. “None of it is at any fault of their own. They’re doing everything they can to keep their businesses going, and they’re facing these challenges with no source of help.”

Samwell suggested the idea at a recent council meeting to discuss the city’s nearly $9 million budget surplus from 2024.

“It’s not only giving them a grant to restore what’s happened, but we also want them to be able to enhance their locations so that these types of things are less likely to happen again,” she explained. “It’s also with the intent to prevent as well.”

Businesses, like Old World Marketplace on Colborne Street, told CTV News they’ve seen an increase in theft and vandalism.

“It is so needed,” said owner Lizanna Koster when asked about the potential pilot program. “We’ve had three break-ins in our stores here, with quite a bit of a loss. $2,000 or $3,000 [in damage] each time. Broken windows, broken doors.”

Koster said she’s heard some customers are even scared to go downtown.

She owns three storefronts, side-by-side, in downtown Brantford. After each incident, Koster used her own income to make up for the losses due to theft and vandalism.

“We’ve had to put more money into securing [the stores],” she said, adding a gate is also something she’s considering.

Koster’s daughter and grandchildren are set to takeover the business.

Moving her stores, she added, isn’t an option.

“I can’t just easily move because we own it,” Koster explained. “If I was renting, I’d move in a minute.”

While she is happy to see the city exploring the idea of a pilot program, she also wants the provincial and federal governments to do more to address housing and addictions issues.

Staff are expected to come back to council with their recommendations at the end of the year. If approved, $100,000 of the surplus would be earmarked for the program

While the program would only focus on small businesses in the city, Samwell also wants to explore a residential grant program in the future.