Plaza St-Hubert merchants say construction is hurting their bottom line

Plaza St-Hubert merchants are already feeling the pain from major construction that began in August and isn't expected to be completed until 2020.

Some business owners say their regular customers can barely reach them through all the road work and most drop-in foot traffic has died.

"I calculate about 70 per cent lost in sales," said Nicolas Alzani who runs Café Crème. "Just getting here is an adventure."

In the last few months, Alzani has cut staff and his hours of operation in an effort to stay afloat.

The $55-million refurbishment project will mean wider sidewalks, more trees and a new overhead awning for the outdoor mall.

He told CBC News that he fears if people stop coming, they won't come back even when the work is finished.

"We saw what happened with St-Denis Street," he said. "St-Denis is dead. They killed it."

Alzani admits there's a need for this work to be done but said the city needs to do more to help.

The City of Montreal said merchants affected by this work will be able to access their new aid program offering up $30,000 per business, per year to cover losses due to construction.

Alzani wants the city to cut his landlord's taxes now so he can get a break on his rent, or failing that, to hire more workers and just get the job done faster.

Mike Parente, the director of the local merchants' association, said he understands the frustrations but agrees that the work is needed to give the Plaza a facelift.

"Everything is going to be revised from A to Z," he said. "That's what we're aiming for, is that they come in once and they don't bother us for many, many decades to come."