West Queen West business owners angry over road closure during holiday season

West Queen West business owners are furious after roads were closed outside their shops for construction that hadn’t even begun yet.

Crews were set to replace TTC streetcar tracks on Queen between Bathurst Street and Niagara Street starting last Thursday and a road closure has been in effect along Queen Street since then.

But shop owners say despite the road closures, barely any work has begun. Several say they can see people still working on the tracks blocks away.

“They said they’d be working 24-hours a day, seven days a week. They have been a no show for five days. Nobody here and yet the street is still blocked – no customers no parking,” said Doc, the owner of Doc’s Leather.

Doc has been on Queen Street for over 50 years and said there has been a significant decrease in business since the street in front of his store shutdown last Thursday.

817 Sports Bar & Grill said this construction was the final nail in the coffin for them and they are shutting down.

“With the lack of foot traffic, it was just too much to bear. The owner just said we had to close,” said manager Dave Auger.

Executive Director of the West Queen West BIA Rob Sysak questioned why the road had to be closed this early without any work being done.

“Is it necessary to be closed? Drivers are ignoring road closures anyway and they are driving on the road. No one here to monitor it and clearly no work is being done,” said Sysak. “In all honestly they shouldn’t have done any of this until January.”

He added it’s been extremely hard on the shop owners. “It’s nuts. I have members crying and having nervous breakdowns. It’s horrible.”

Businesses urged staff to delay the work until at least after the Christmas holidays, but were told it would not be possible to delay it.

After already struggling last year due to COVID-19 measures that restricted in-store shopping, owners are worried they won’t survive another lost season.

“This TTC fiasco is killing Christmas and the Holiday Season, for no reason, and the situation needs to be rectified,” read a note from Queen Street business owner Mark Wright to Mayor John Tory.

When asked about the delay in construction, Tory said the business owners deserved an answer as to why the work wasn’t being done and he would be looking into it.

“We are getting work done in accelerated basis quicker than normally at a cost to the city so business can open again and traffic flowing freely sooner than would be the case,” Tory added.

Spokesperson Brad Ross said the absence of workers or heavy equipment on a construction site does not mean work is not occurring.

“Preparation work is occurring, including installing temporary fencing around the construction zone for everyone’s safety. This prep work includes welding and cutting existing TTC streetcar track, grinding rail and excavation starting west of Bathurst Street,” said Ross.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, construction crews showed up to put fences in the area.

He said work is still expected to be completed by Dec. 6. However, business owners are not confident the work will be done by then, cutting further into the holiday season.

Last week, City staff said a delay until the new year was not possible as it would create more traffic impacts and push back other construction projects planned for 2022.