Some Halifax businesses say they aren’t sure how much longer they can stay afloat with the massive amount of construction projects happening in the region.
"It's been a real struggle,” says restaurant owner Lil MacPherson. “We've been going through construction for almost five years now and to lose our whole street and sidewalk and patio and everything is really, really tough."
Tea shop owner Phil Holmans says sales are down 50 per cent since the so-called streetscape project began. He doesn’t believe his business will not survive any more delays.
It began in June and was scheduled to be completed by September. But that date has already been pushed back three to six weeks.
“We're already struggling through a non-existent summer and now we're going into our high sales season with no foot traffic,” says Holmans. “We're frankly scared. We're month-to-month now."
The city says they are working with businesses to help them through the ongoing construction.
"A lot of the major projects are just really big and long enough that they have to be going on simultaneously,” says Halifax Regional Municipality spokesperson Nick Ritcey. “The municipality is working to try to mitigate traffic issues and any issues that business owners may have to make sure people can access them."
A group of eight businesses started legal action against the city back in July, calling for financial compensation over the Nova Centre construction.
The case is currently before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Allan April.
