Broadway businesses seek aid before full road shutdown for subway construction
Earlier this fall, the provincial government announced this complete road closure strategy to enable construction crews to more quickly dismantle the lengthy temporary four-lane traffic deck bridge that was built directly above Mount Pleasant Station’s construction pit, enabling arterial vehicle traffic to continue moving through the area during construction.
In early 2026, during the implementation of the strategy, much of the vehicle traffic is expected to detour through 10th Avenue and 2nd Avenue via Main Street and Cambie Street, while all TransLink buses, including the 99 B-Line, will detour through a one block of East 8th Avenue before returning to Broadway.
According to provincial officials, this full closure approach was chosen over the alternative of reducing Broadway to two vehicle lanes — one lane in each direction — and extending construction by roughly 16 months, as opposed to the eight-month construction timeline for the selected strategy.
Plans are still being developed for removing the temporary traffic vehicle deck bridges installed above the subway station construction sites of Broadway-City Hall, Oak-VGH, South Granville, and Arbutus. A similar full road closure strategy has not been ruled out.
Traffic impacts and detour routes for the four-month full closure of Broadway between Main and Quebec streets to enable the removal of the temporary traffic deck above the Mount Pleasant Station construction site. (Government of BC)
Process to remove the temporary traffic decks for the Broadway Subway’s station construction sites. (Government of BC)
Although the selected strategy for removing Mount Pleasant Station’s traffic vehicle deck bridges provides a shorter overall construction timeline, businesses in the area are sounding the alarm for what could be the most financially damaging phase yet, since construction on the subway project first began in 2021.
According to MPBIA, many businesses along the Broadway subway route are operating at approximately 50 per cent revenue, with significant vacancies in some areas. They warn that the most disruptive phase of the construction work could force many more businesses to close.
The MPBIA is proposing two measures designed to offer immediate relief to businesses along the corridor.
One measure by the provincial government would create a new grant program that scales based on the business size, fixed costs, and demonstrated financial losses. This model is designed to be simple to verify — relying on documentation like lease statements or rent invoices — while providing meaningful support. Fixed costs, especially rent, are the most pressing issue for many small businesses.
The second measure would be provided by the municipal government. To improve customer access during peak disruption, the MPBIA is urging the City of Vancouver to implement full parking relief along the Mount Pleasant stretch of Broadway. Adjustments to parking regulations, they argue, represent one of the fastest and most effective tools available to help stabilize foot traffic.
“After five years of disruption, our businesses have nothing left to give,” said Neil Wyles, executive director of the Mount Pleasant BIA, in a statement today.
“This isn’t a short-term inconvenience — it’s a multi-year crisis that threatens the future of one of Vancouver’s most vibrant commercial districts. The upcoming four-month shutdown, followed by months of restricted traffic, will be devastating without immediate provincial support. The challenge facing businesses along this corridor is unprecedented – and the urgency of the situation demands a similar response.”
March 2023 view of Broadway, with the temporary Mount Pleasant Station traffic deck. (Government of BC)
After the traffic deck bridges are removed at each subway station site above Broadway, crews would still have to install new replacement underground utilities and restore the roadway to its new pedestrian-friendly design of four vehicle lanes — down from the previous configuration of six lanes before construction began.
MPBIA is hosting a town hall at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, at The Pleasant Restaurant (2434 Main St.) for business owners and operators and the general public to voice their concerns. Provincial and municipal leaders have also been invited to attend.
If all goes as planned, the six-km-long Broadway extension, adding six stations to the SkyTrain network, will open in Fall 2027.
Generally, over the decades, the provincial and municipal governments and TransLink have been against providing financial compensation and/or grants to impacted businesses, over concerns that it could set a precedent for future transportation and utilities projects that create disruption — resulting in increased costs for such projects and challenges for implementing the financial feasibility of achieving the projects.
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