The owners and operators of three Vancouver businesses are already experiencing challenges with the influence that the World Cup has on the city.
The owner of Cascadia Natural Pet Supply in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood told Global News that she advertised some soccer-themed bears on the store’s website.
“I said I thought they were for FIFA because we got them in time for FIFA and they were soccer bears and they were wearing jerseys of the teams,” Dawn Moulton, owner of the pet food store, said.
“Although they don’t look like the jerseys, but I don’t watch soccer, so I don’t really pay that level of attention.”
The supplier warned Moulton she could get fined, so she no longer advertises them as FIFA Bears.
But she said the whole experience has left her with a negative impression.
“I just think it’s greed,” she said.
Get breaking National news
“It’s billionaire greed, again, and I think the people who live in the cities that are being hosted by these events just don’t benefit from them. It puts a real damper on it. Like, so what? You know, it’s just such a silly thing.”
Other businesses right next to BC Place Stadium are also feeling some pressure.
Aquariums West made the difficult decision to close its doors on the seven match days with concerns over customer access.
- Vancouver working to avoid ‘the great sigh’ following FIFA World Cup excitement
- Port of Vancouver expansion project referred to Canada’s Major Projects Office
- Close to 800,000 have applied for $100 rebate, payments coming: Alberta’s Smith
- Canfor closing Prince George pulp mill, hundreds of jobs lost
“It’s a huge hit,” manager Kreig LeBlanc said. “Seven days of lost business for a small business is a lot for us. So we’re definitely very concerned. We’re nervous about how June is going to go. We have staff that are going to lose hours.”
The newly opened Zenden Wellness Centre is planning to stay open during the matches, but has already seen a bit of a drawback.
“People have noticed that there’s some road closures already happening and so it’s a little tougher to get to the studio and parking is a little bit more difficult,” Andrew Enns, the executive vice-president of Leger’s Central Canada operations, said.
“So we’re going to try and keep pretty much the same class schedule we have, but yeah, we’re kind of wondering how it’s going to be.”
LeBlanc said he wishes there were more consideration for businesses trying to survive.
“I feel like there could have been a bit more effort to sort of help small businesses that may be struggling during this event,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic event for people that are interested in it, but for those that are not, it’s going to be a struggle.”
Anonymous – Then what are you? American? Lol gross… even worse. Your country is the laughing stock of the world and you’re calling Canada cultureless and irrelevant? The USA is known for ped0 Christians and inbred white trash that believe in fabricated conspiracy theories. Hey just like you. What a coincidence
You know you’re out of intellectual gas when all you can do is label posters you don’t agree with as “Liberals” LOL
You know you’re out of intellectual gas when all you can do is label posters you don’t agree with as “Russians” LOL
Anonymous – Canada is a way better place to live than the Russian sh*thole you live in
Canadians are cultureless and irrelevant. It’s a small miracle they were awarded to be co-hosts of the greatest sporting event in the world.
FIFA is the worst. Corrupt.
FIFA don’t care about anyone or anything except FIFAs financial gain. If they don’t get their share it isn’t allowed to happen
Welcome to reality. Billionaires and their greed sickness is destroying our society. An organization like FIFA is the perfect example
REALLY!!?? Global actually let it be said that billionaires are greedy?? NO KIDDING! Time to stomp out billionaireism in the country! They do nothing but TAKE TAKE TAKE under the premise that they create jobs! WHY THE MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT THEN YOU LYING BUNCH OF SELFISH PR*CKS!!
GREED ? I DON’T BELIEVE YOU ! NOT HERE IN BC
People.whining is not news
‘“I feel like there could have been a bit more effort to sort of help small businesses that may be struggling during this event,” he said.’
For only 7 days?!?! How?!?!?!?!?! What, like, just f *ucking hand your businesses a wad of my taxmoney in an envelope?? Go f *uck yourselves!! You opened a business which you must have known was a risk itself. And you opened it downtown. And near a f *ucking stadium. And now you’re crying to media over (MAYBE) 7 low-volume days?!?! F *UCK OFF
waste of tax payers money