Glenda Smith is one of the many long-time vendors inside the Covent Garden Market. She’s owned and operated Smith Cheese for the past 37 years and says the constant construction around the building is frustrating. “We’ve been under construction for a long time, between the roads and the bicycle lanes, and now the market parking lot, it needs to stop,” said Smith. The events and farmers market manager, Sam Regier says the much-needed structural repairs to the parking garage began last fall, and they anticipate the completion by July. While the Square undergoes renovations, all outdoor vendors are set up inside the market’s second floor mezzanine, and the Spring Farmers Market will temporarily take place on Market Lane beginning April 19. The market and parking garage remain open during the construction with multiple entry points; however, business has been slow for some vendors. “This has been the worst February and March on record for our business, so it’s been hard,” said Thana Mills, owner of Havaris Produce Many of the vendors understand the work needs to be done, however, little has been done to financially support the businesses during the construction. Regier says there are no talks of vendors receiving any compensation during the construction, however, efforts are being made to ensure signage and digital ads encourage business as usual. Jennifer Jack, owner of Magpies Collected Creations says it has been an ongoing struggle for years and there are a number of factors. “I think the downtown as a whole has been set up to suffer, the market as well is suffering, from lack of buildings, people not coming back post COVID, the ongoing construction everywhere in the core, the ongoing construction in our building,” said Jack. Some long-time vendors, like Chris Lyons, co-owner of Chris’ Country Cuts, a staple inside the market for 25 years, says they haven’t really been impacted during the renovations. “People are very loyal, those who shop at the market, shop at the market, they find a way around it. We’ve had several customers come and say ‘I didn’t even know the square was torn up.‘” Lyons says it’s crucial to shop local, now more than ever, and support small Canadian businesses. “It would be nice to get a little break on our rent or something, just to say hey look we lived through seven years of road construction and now we’re doing this to you,” said Lyons.
