Merchants along Jean-Talon Street East say years of construction tied to Montreal’s Blue Line extension are taking a toll on their businesses, and they are calling for more support to help them make it to the project’s expected completion in 2031.
“It’s a dream that’s turning into a nightmare. It’s very painful for us. It affects our lives, our wallets and our families,” said Kamer Bensalem, the owner of Boulangerie Castel. “It’s very bad now, it’s a big headache for us.”
Boulangerie Castel owner Kamer Bensalem. (CityNews)
Bensalem bought Boulangerie Castel 18 years ago. He says the disappearance of passing traffic has forced the bakery to find customers elsewhere and make deliveries just to keep business coming in.
Construction has closed sections of Jean Talon East to through traffic, with work around major intersections including Pie-IX, Viau, Lacordaire and Langelier. Bus routes have also been diverted as work continues in the area.
Bensalem says the stakes are high for his longtime business.
“I have more than 20 employees,” he said, “and the bakery wasn’t turning over a small amount of revenue — it was $2 million or more, and we don’t want to lose all that. The city needs to find another way. They’re closing the streets all at once.”
He says business has dropped between 20 and 25 per cent, despite adapting by making deliveries and finding customers outside the immediate neighbourhood.
“If I didn’t make the deliveries and deliver to others, maybe I’m closing,” Bensalem said.
Construction on Jean-Talon East and Lacordaire (CityNews)
The Société de développement commercial (SDC) Jean-Talon Est gathered merchants and community partners Wednesday to highlight the impact of the construction on the commercial artery.
“We are not against the work. We’ve been waiting for this forever,” said Paul Micheletti, president of the SDC Jean-Talon Est.
The SDC says pedestrian traffic measured by one of its street counters has fallen by more than 90 per cent, from more than 1,000 passages per day before 2024 to fewer than 100.
The organization also points to the relocation of the 141 bus as a major factor in the decline to foot traffic.
The STM said in a statement to CityNews that moving the 141 bus back is not an option, arguing construction would add more than 20 minutes to travel times and make the service less reliable.
“The most effective solution to ensure a balance between the needs of merchants and public transit users remains the 814 shuttle, which, combined with the 141, maintains access to the area,” said a spokesperson.
Micheletti is calling for regular meetings with decision-makers, changes to transit service in the area, measures to attract people back to Jean-Talon East during construction and better coordination throughout the remaining years of work.
He added that merchants have found it difficult to navigate some of the financial assistance available to businesses affected by construction.
“The businesses that have tried to do it have complained that it’s way too complicated,” Micheletti said. “We’ve asked if it could be simplified. I don’t have an answer.”
Saint-Léonard borough Mayor Dominic Perri says the borough is monitoring the impact of the work and has introduced measures including funding for the SDC, temporary streetscape projects, summer cultural programming, changes to signage rules and personalized support for merchants.
“Saint-Léonard is closely monitoring the impacts of construction and focusing its efforts on supporting merchants,” Perri said.
At Buongiorno Café, which has been serving espresso on Jean-Talon East since 2017, owner Robert Spiridigliozzi says he understands the disruption that comes with building new metro stations, but says the loss of passing traffic is hurting businesses.
“The fact that they’re building stations is something that we can understand. It’s something that we have to go through,” Spiridigliozzi said. “But the fact that the traffic is completely blocked and there’s no access, I think that’s what’s really hurting the businesses.”
Robert Spiridigliozzi, owner of Café Buongiorno. (CityNews)
Customers are noticing the difference too.
“It takes people longer to get here now,” said customer Carol Moreno. “And with winter starting, it’s going to be more difficult.”
The Blue Line extension is expected to add five stations east of Saint-Michel, with passenger service expected to begin in 2031.
For Bensalem, the promise of what the project could eventually bring to the neighbourhood is exactly why he wants longtime businesses to survive the construction. He hopes that his sons will take over the business one day, but says he’s unsure about the future now.
“Help us,” he said. “Better days are coming. Let us be here to benefit from them. We deserve it.”
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