Broadway corridor businesses urge shoppers to buy local as subway construction delayed

“It was a little bit of a kick in the gut,” said Portside Interiors owner Gene Guindon upon learning the Broadway subway line's completion date was delayed to early 2026.

With less than a month until Christmas and BC Buy Local Week now underway, the Mount Pleasant BIA is urging Vancouverites to support local merchants this holiday season, as the Broadway subway line faces a new construction delay.

“These businesses are already struggling,” executive director Neil Wyles told Global News on Small Business Saturday, a marketing initiative to encourage holiday shopping between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“To tack on another six months after that is going to impact them greatly.”

In a Nov. 24 progress bulletin, B.C.’s transportation ministry said because tunnel boring was affected by a five-week concrete strike in June, the completion of the $2.8 billion project has been delayed until early 2026.

“It was a little bit of a kick in the gut,” Portside Interiors owner Gene Guindon said.

Guindon knew he was brave when he opened his furniture and design store in 2021 in the space vacated by Hill’s Native Art Gallery at 120 East Broadway, which is now  at the centre of the construction zone.

Portside’s front door is steps from a massive hole as crews continue to work on the new underground Mount Pleasant Station at the southwest corner of Broadway and Main Street.

“Parking and access has been our number one difficulty,” Guindon explained.