The four-month full closure of East Broadway between Quebec and Main streets that begins Jan. 26 will have a devastating impact on businesses that have already endured five years of construction work, according to the association that represents them.

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“This is going to be the nail in the coffin for businesses in the area,” said Neil Wyles, executive-director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association. “This was never in the plan. Even businesses that had plans in place for the five years of construction will not survive the additional two years, plus a full road closure.”

The BIA is calling for an urgent meeting with Mike Farnworth, the B.C. minister of transportation and transit, to address issues related to the shut down.

“After five years of relentless disruption, this full closure is not just another inconvenience,” said Wyles. “Vacancies are rising, revenues are down sharply, and many operators are already at or below break-even. Another prolonged shutdown without meaningful mitigation will push more businesses past the point of recovery.”

Wyles is asking the provincial government for help mitigating losses, including interest-free bridge loans to help businesses already struggling after years of disruption.

In October, the province announced Broadway from Main Street to Quebec Street would be fully closed to facilitate the removal of the temporary below-grade bridges, or traffic decks, that were built to keep traffic flowing over parts of the underground construction phase of the subway project.

According to access maps on the Broadway plan website, buses and local traffic will be detoured around the one-block closure using East 8th Avenue. Buses are being rerouted across a paved-over section of a car lot at the northwest corner of Broadway and Quebec.

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Although sidewalks will remain open during the vehicle closure, Wyles said access to businesses, services and residences will be “circuitous, and much more challenging.”

Independent transit advocate Nathan Davidowicz said the bus rerouting is poorly designed and poses serious safety concerns.

“Eighth Avenue is very narrow. Too much bus traffic on 8th will be very bad, especially when the articulated 99-B buses are turning left onto 8th,” Davidowicz said.

The 99-B express buses run as frequently as every two to three minutes during rush hour.

“There will be congestion, buses backing up traffic, and when they are trying to turn right from broadway onto Main and then left onto 8th, they are going to block lanes, possibly up to Broadway. That’s a safety issue for drivers and pedestrians.”

Buses turning left onto Quebec, then right onto 8th will face similar congestion issues.

Mike McMillan, president of Unifor 111, which represents Coast Mountain bus drivers, said the union  is looking into the matter.

It only adds to the frustration business owners are feeling, said Wyles.

“Why a full road closure? Why not a single lane moving in each direction, which was the other option,” said Wyles.

Wyles said there was no consultation with neighbourhood associations or businesses when the decision was made on the full road closure.

The closure will hurt several businesses that cater to children, said Wyles, including Goh Ballet, Colourstrings Conservatory of Music on East 8th Avenue, and the Sarah McLachlan School of Music on East 7th.

“We’re losing 50 parking spaces on 8th,” said Wyles, who added that there are safety concerns with the re-routed traffic and inadequate zones for pickups and drop-offs. “It’s going to be a goat rodeo.”

When the plan was announced in late October, Ron MacGillivray, owner of Fable Diner, said he was already facing “borderline bankruptcy,” and had sold his family home to keep his business afloat.

“I had to sell my house. Moved, renting now, sold everything,” MacGillivray said. “Every single day for the last three years, I’ve been putting money in the place just to keep it open.”

In December 2025, the BIA urged the provincial government to provide businesses with emergency financial relief to help mitigate losses during this closure, but at an unrelated press conference that month, Farnworth reiterated that his government had always been clear that their policy was clear: no compensation for business disruptions.

“The minister is saying their policy is that they do not compensate for short-term disruptions. We are at five years, plus an additional two years,” said Wyles.

Wyles said there are ways the government could help, with tax relief or grants for the businesses most impacted, but they are not getting any response from the provincial government.

“It’s like banging your head against a brick wall,” he said.

dryan@postmedia.com