Barbara Kanduth owns a trio of restaurants just west of the island of Montreal, but the constant work and lane closures on a major bridge means local businesses like hers are feeling the pinch.
“I’m just worried,” she said Tuesday. “We’re basically holding tight right now.”
Kanduth is the owner of popular spots Carlos & Pepe’s and La Belle et la Boeuf in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Shinas Boozy Brunch, her third restaurant, opened eight months ago, but she has had a hard time getting clients in the door.
“If the bridge is closed outright, our business is cut in half,” she said.
Kanduth is among many local merchants dealing with the fallout from the current work on Highway 40. There is heavy traffic and reduced lanes on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge, a busy span that connects Vaudreuil-Dorion to Montreal’s West Island. It’s also a major corridor for Ontario and Quebec drivers.
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A recent survey conducted by Leger 360 for the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Chamber of Commere and Developpement Vaudreuil-Soulanges (DEV) paints a bleak picture.
The survey, which interviewed some 400 companies from May 3 to May 19, found 83 per cent of respondents say they have major concerns about the survival of their business because of repair work on the bridge.
The findings found on average that Vaudreuil-Dorion businesses have seen a 31 per cent loss in profits and a 30 per cent decrease in customers.
The Île-aux-Tourtes bridge connects Montreal to Vaudreuil-Dorion.
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The survey also reported 79 per cent of respondents experienced issues of lateness and absenteeism among employees and 63 per cent reported difficulties in hiring staff.
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Meanwhile, 71 per cent were are not satisfied with the Quebec government’s communications when it comes to the bridge.
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Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon, who is also the president of DEV, said the findings are “really not a good sign.”
“I’m very sad for them,” he said of merchants’ concerns. “We understand very much what they have to live and what we want to say is we’re going to help them.”
There is a new Ile-aux-Tourtes being built to replace the current span, but the recent congestion and closures mean even fewer locals are dropping by at Kanduth’s supper spots.
“Even for people coming home, who would typically stop and have dinner, they don’t want to,” Kanduth said.
“They’ve been sitting in traffic for two hours. They just want to go home and they don’t want to stop anywhere else. You really, really see it.”
Kanduth worries that by the time the new bridge opens, customers won’t be coming back. For now, she’s doing the best she can in a situation that she can’t control.
“We’re staying afloat,” Kanduth said. “I think I speak for most restaurant owners around (here).”
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In a statement to Global News, a spokesperson with Quebec’s Transport Ministry said it is aware the bridge is part of the strategic road network supporting trade and that’s why it is maintaining traffic on the bridge while rebuilding the new structure beside it.
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“It’s also important to mention that we maintain constant communication with our partners, including municipalities. This way, they can relay the information to their respective audience,” the statement reads.
But the Quebec government needs to do more so that businesses don’t shutter, according to the regional chamber of commerce and the DEV.
Among their recommended measures is waiving the toll on nearby Highway 30 and making public transit free to ease traffic on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge.
Pilon is also calling for the province to consider grants to help merchants and improved communication on closures and delays.
“We’re not asking for the sky but the town would do its share too,” Pilon said.
