The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said Thursday morning that the city’s consultation process with small businesses that may be affected by the proposed Hornby Street bike lane has been “appalling.”
As a result, the CFIB plans to do its own survey of business owners along Hornby to get their views on the city’s proposal to put concrete barriers around the existing bike lane.
CFIB’s vice-president of western Canada Laura Jones told BIV Thursday morning that she believes the city has already made the decision to install the new bike lane. “It’s a disingenuous way to consult when you’ve already made a decision about a project – it’s a cavalier attitude that they have.”
She said the city does not seem to understand that even a small loss in sales can be a significant thing for small business. “A 10% loss in sales will break most small businesses.”
She said the city should take some lessons from the consultation process that occurred five years ago around the existing Hornby Street bike lane. “That bike lane was a compromise between business owners and cycling interests.”
City director of transportation Jerry Dobrovolny told BIV earlier this week that while the Dunsmuir Street bike lane remains a pilot project and is not yet permanent, that there is no reason to stop the separate pilot project on Hornby Street.
He added that the city will soon reveal “signalized solutions” to address concerns shared by business and motorists over right turns being prohibited from Dunsmuir Street onto either Seymour Street or Hornby Street.
BIV conducted a small and informal survey of business owners along Hornby this week –many business owners were opposed to the new bike lane, but not all.
See next week's print edition of BIV for what Hornby Street business owners such as Wall Financial Corp. president Bruno Wall and the Wedgewood Hotel’s Eleni and Nelson Skalbania think about the proposed bike lane.
Business owners along Hornby Street who want to participate in the CFIB’s survey can phone the CFIB at 604-684-5325 or go to the CFIB’s website for a copy.