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Boulangerie Castel owner Kamer Bensalem. (CityNews)<\/p>\nMerchants along Jean-Talon Street East say years of construction tied to Montreal\u2019s 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\u2019s expected completion in 2031.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a dream that\u2019s turning into a nightmare. It\u2019s very painful for us. It affects our lives, our wallets and our families,\u201d said Kamer Bensalem, the owner of Boulangerie Castel. \u201cIt\u2019s very bad now, it\u2019s a big headache for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boulangerie Castel owner Kamer Bensalem. (CityNews)<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Construction has closed sections of Jean Talon East to through traffic, with work around major intersections including Pie-IX, Viau, Lacordaire and Langelier.\u00a0Bus routes have also been diverted as work continues in the area.<\/p>\n
Bensalem says the stakes are high for his longtime business. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have more than 20 employees,\u201d he said, \u201cand the bakery wasn\u2019t turning over a small amount of revenue \u2014 it was $2 million or more, and we don\u2019t want to lose all that. The city needs to find another way. They\u2019re closing the streets all at once.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says business has dropped between 20 and 25 per cent, despite adapting by making deliveries and finding customers outside the immediate neighbourhood.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I didn\u2019t make the deliveries and deliver to others, maybe I\u2019m closing,\u201d Bensalem said.<\/p>\n
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Construction on Jean-Talon East and Lacordaire (CityNews)<\/p>\n
The Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 de d\u00e9veloppement commercial (SDC) Jean-Talon Est gathered merchants and community partners Wednesday to highlight the impact of the construction on the commercial artery.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not against the work. We\u2019ve been waiting for this forever,\u201d said Paul Micheletti, president of the SDC Jean-Talon Est.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The organization also points to the relocation of the 141 bus as a major factor in the decline to foot traffic.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d said a spokesperson.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
He added that merchants have found it difficult to navigate some of the financial assistance available to businesses affected by construction. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe businesses that have tried to do it have complained that it\u2019s way too complicated,\u201d Micheletti said. \u201cWe\u2019ve asked if it could be simplified. I don\u2019t have an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saint-L\u00e9onard 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cSaint-L\u00e9onard is closely monitoring the impacts of construction and focusing its efforts on supporting merchants,\u201d Perri said.<\/p>\n
At Buongiorno Caf\u00e9, 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that they\u2019re building stations is something that we can understand. It\u2019s something that we have to go through,\u201d Spiridigliozzi said. \u201cBut the fact that the traffic is completely blocked and there\u2019s no access, I think that\u2019s what\u2019s really hurting the businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Robert Spiridigliozzi, owner of Caf\u00e9 Buongiorno. (CityNews)<\/p>\n
Customers are noticing the difference too.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes people longer to get here now,\u201d said customer Carol Moreno. \u201cAnd with winter starting, it\u2019s going to be more difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Blue Line extension is expected to add five stations east of Saint-Michel, with passenger service expected to begin in 2031.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s unsure about the future now. <\/p>\n
\u201cHelp us,\u201d he said. \u201cBetter days are coming. Let us be here to benefit from them. We deserve it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n
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