Broadway business advocate asks Vancouver for tax break amid construction

A Vancouver business advocate says the city’s recent PSAs asking residents to patronize shops on Broadway during the subway extension project aren’t enough.

Neil Wyles, head of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area, responded to the City of Vancouver on X (formerly Twitter) with what he calls a “mean tweet,” saying a tax break for businesses affected would be much better than suggesting residents simply visit them.

“Broadway businesses are OPEN during subway construction & appreciate your support… #SupportBroadwayBusinesses” the city said. 

Wyles responded, “Or…giving them a tax break because customers have had difficulty getting to the stores because of a 5 year construction project with an added nearly 2 year delay tacked on.”

He tells 1130 NewsRadio that with Broadway a mess for the last few years, some businesses have seen about half their normal customer volume, and it’s just too much for some of them.

“Well, this will be a seven-year construction project. So it’s great that the ministry of transportation can redefine what short term is to suit their own needs. but these businesses need some help,” said Wyles.

He says the Ministry of Transportation won’t compensate anyone for short-term interruptions caused by construction, but seven years doesn’t feel short-term. Construction on the extension began in 2020, and it was announced in May that it’s expected to wrap two years later than originally planned.

Wyles says that with a two-year delay, some businesses simply won’t survive.

“There are significant vacancies because people have just left. They’ve either relocated or closed their businesses, and those things have significant ramifications long term.”

He says his “mean tweet” caught the attention of Jobs and Economic Development Minister Brenda Bailey, whom he now has a meeting with.

The ministry says it’s doing everything it can to minimize impacts to businesses during construction.

“We’ve worked to ensure that businesses on Broadway are accessible during construction by constructing temporary traffic decks, pedestrian walkways, and cycling detours,” it said in a statement to 1130 NewsRadio.

“Project representatives visit, text, phone and email businesses regularly to provide advance notice of upcoming activities and work collaboratively on measures in support of businesses. As well, a dedicated construction team provides a range of mitigations based on feedback, including regular cleaning and adjustments to signs and safety fencing.”

The ministry says it looks forward to connecting with Wyles and claims it has been working with Broadway businesses “one-on-one,” to address their needs since 2019.

The Broadway subway line is slated to open in the fall of 2027.