Broadway business owners press B.C. government for help amid ongoing construction delays

Business owners along Broadway say they’re running out of time and patience as construction on the long-delayed subway extension continues.

Business owners affected by construction along Vancouver’s Broadway corridor met Tuesday morning with B.C.’s transportation minister, pressing the province for financial help as disruptions from the Broadway Subway Project continue to drag on.

Transportation and Transit Minister Mike Farnworth acknowledged the strain businesses are under, but ruled out compensation.

“Clearly, these are business owners who are dealing with some real challenges right now,” Farnworth said.

However, he added that direct financial compensation is not being considered.

“It is a priority to help the businesses, and that’s what we’re trying to do. But compensation is not something that any government has done on any project in this province. It opens up a real Pandora’s box,” Farnworth said.

That response frustrated many business owners, who say the impacts of construction are already severe and growing.

Douglas Stewart, owner of ColourStrings Music School, says some businesses are reaching a breaking point.

“We need action now. We need some kind of a grant. We need some kind of bridging loan. So we need this to happen fast,” Stewart said.

Stewart says he has had to pick up a second job to help keep his business afloat.

Kathryn Sharp, operations manager at Pacific Angler on Broadway, says business has dropped between 30 and 50 per cent in recent years and could decline further with recent traffic changes.

“I personally have taken on a second job,” Sharp said.

She argues the province should build financial mitigation into major infrastructure projects.

“When they’re doing these projects, they should account for compensation or some sort of mitigation for small businesses,” Sharp said.

Neil Wyles, executive director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association, echoed those concerns, saying support for small businesses should be part of the overall project budget.

“The government should be helping these businesses. It’s a line item on a multi-billion-dollar project,” Wyles said.

Farnworth says he is taking requests for financial assistance such as interest-free loans and grants to other provincial ministries to see if support is possible, but made no guarantees.

He did, however, commit to looking at measures such as improved signage, access, and parking options. Business owners say those steps fall short.

“We need help beyond the superficial things, beyond monitoring the loading zone and changing some of the parking regulations,” Sharp said.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says affected business owners have his full support.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with businesses that are continuing to struggle as a result of endless construction delays and broken promises,” Sim said in an emailed statement. “A four-month closure was not what the province originally committed to, and we strongly believe that they now have a responsibility to financially compensate impacted businesses.”

Broadway closed to all vehicle traffic between Main and Quebec streets on Monday, and the block is scheduled to remain closed for four months, with a detour set up on East 8th Avenue. The province says the closure will help speed up this phase of construction by 50 per cent.

The 5.7-kilometre extension of the Millennium Line from VCC–Clark Station to Arbutus Street is now estimated to be about $100 million over budget. Originally expected to be completed last year, the project is now slated to open in fall 2027.