The executive director of a Vancouver business association is issuing a stark warning: an upcoming four-month road closure on a key Broadway corridor could be the final blow for local shops and services already reeling from years of construction disruption.
Full Closure Announced With No Consultation
The province of British Columbia has announced that East Broadway between Quebec and Main streets will be fully closed to vehicle traffic for four months, starting January 26, 2026. This closure is necessary to remove temporary traffic decks used during the underground construction phase of the Broadway Subway Project.
Neil Wyles, executive director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association (BIA), calls the decision a potential "nail in the coffin" for area enterprises. "This was never in the plan," Wyles stated. "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."
Businesses Plead for Help, Province Says No
Wyles and the BIA are urgently asking the provincial government to provide financial relief to help businesses weather this latest challenge. Their requests include interest-free bridge loans, tax relief, or grants for the most severely impacted establishments.
However, their pleas appear to be falling on deaf ears. At a press conference in December 2025, B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth reiterated the government's policy of not compensating businesses for short-term disruptions. Wyles countered, "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."
Access Challenges and Safety Concerns Mount
While sidewalks will remain open, Wyles warns that access to businesses, residences, and services will become "circuitous, and much more challenging." Local traffic and buses will be detoured via East 8th Avenue, utilizing a paved-over section of a car lot.
The closure will particularly affect businesses catering to children, such as the Goh Ballet, Colourstrings Conservatory of Music, and the Sarah MacLachlan School of Music. Wyles highlighted the loss of 50 parking spaces on 8th Avenue and raised safety concerns about rerouted traffic and inadequate pickup/drop-off zones, predicting the situation will become a "goat rodeo."
The dire situation is exemplified by business owners like Ron MacGillivray of Fable Diner, who said he faced "borderline bankruptcy" and sold his family home to keep his restaurant afloat during the previous years of construction. With the new full closure looming, Wyles expressed frustration at the lack of response from the province, saying trying to get help feels like "banging your head against a brick wall."
