By Candace Wilson
Ottawa businesses who suffered financial losses during last November’s G-20 Summit are fighting the federal government’s decision to deny them compensation.
“These businesses are suffering through no fault of their own,” said André Piché, director of national affairs at the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses. “The government needs to take notice.”
Local merchants in the Bank Street Promenade business improvement area are considering a diversity of tactics in fighting the government’s decision, including legal action.
Merchants in the Byward Market who lost revenue during the protest decided to take
legal action against the government .
The G-20 summit meeting took place last fall in Ottawa at the Government Conference Centre. Merchants in the downtown area claimed to have lost millions because of vandalism, altered bus schedules and road closures.
“The bus routes were changed and there were traffic jams so customers couldn’t get to us,” said Eric Schwartz, owner of Ottawa Leather Goods on Sparks Street. “We lost 80 per cent of our business, it was absolutely terrible and we deserve something.”
Mitch Miyazaki, owner of Karatsu Bakeshop on Bank Street, said his business suffered a similar fate.
“We had a huge loss in sales and they aren’t giving us anything,” said Mitch Miyazaki, owner of Karatsu Bakeshop on Bank Street. “No one has received anything for it.”
Piché launched a campaign in June to change compensation guidelines. Piché is trying to extend guidelines to include businesses located outside the security area
According to an official from the Finance Department, who asked to remain unidentified, these businesses weren’t eligible for compensation because “they were not within the designated security perimeter and were not directly affected by extra government security measures.”
The federal government last September sent letters to 49 businesses located outside the security area explaining why they didn’t meet compensation qualifications.
In order for a business to apply for compensation, they must have remained open the day of the summit. In addition, they were required to submit a financial statement of their business for the last three years as well as filling out an 18-page application.
“First of all, to remain open during one of these protests would be dangerous for the business and its employees,” Piché said. “Secondly, to have to give a detailed financial report is just too time consuming.”
Piché sent a letter in June to Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham asking that proper security measures be taken to ensure that businesses suffer minimal losses during future international events. Graham did reply but didn’t speak specifically to the issue of the G-20 Summit.
“We are not surprised that these businesses in Ottawa are angry about this situation and how they are being treated,” said Piché. “We are hoping to get this point across.”