Calgary developing policy to help local businesses impacted by long-term construction

The City of Calgary is looking to help businesses in Montgomery and Bowness during water-main repair work.

As Calgary works to strengthen its water infrastructure after two catastrophic feeder main breaks, city councillors are exploring ways to help businesses impacted by long-term construction.

Calgary’s Infrastructure and Planning Committee discussed a policy Wednesday that could help identify and reduce issues that businesses may face during construction.

“It’s important for local businesses to be able to take that to the bank and have some certainty around that,” said Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas.

“In recent years we’ve seen many projects that haven’t seen the level of coordination.”

Marda Loop re-opened in the fall after businesses faced a rough two years of road closures and detours. The city paid hundreds of businesses one-time grants of $5,000, but the report suggests those funds didn’t provide the needed help.

“I personally spoke with (many business owners) that went out of business so that $5,000 isn’t solving anything,” said councillor Dan McLean.

Councillors say those road closures helped inform the new policy of how to help businesses during repair projects.

“We need to strengthen our relationship during the planning process with utility partners,” said Marda Loop councillor Nathan Schmidt.

The Marda Loop Business Improvement Association hopes the policy helps support businesses during future infrastructure projects.

“Keep chaos to a minimum and to get it done fast and also provide support to business districts so they can promote the area including promoting after the work is done to invite people back,” said Bob van Wegen with the Marda Loop BIA.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) thinks the policy addresses communication and customer access well but the compensation plan should change.

“When we talk to our members across the country we see them report on average 40 per cent loss during construction so there’s a real need for them to receive financial support,” said Kayode Southwood, a CFIB senior policy analyst.

He says compensation could come in the form or grants or even reduced property tax rates.

That inspires hope for businesses in Montgomery and Bowness, who say they saw fewer customer during the two catastrophic feeder main breaks and subsequent repair work over the last 18 months.

“(It would) be nice to get some compensation because we didn’t get anything last time … Even if it was our business license,” said Heather Trattner, who owns Allan’s Flowers. She says her walk-ins plummeted during the previous watermain work.

Now, with crews back in the area working to strengthen the water system to avoid future breaks, Trattner says she has noticed some improvement.

“The communication I feel has been better this time.”

The report will be received by council in the coming weeks.

The city had no plans to extend its $5,000 pilot plan but will look into a different business-friendly approach for next year.