Ongoing traffic congestion on Highway 14 is pushing Sooke businesses to the brink of closure.

Sooke business owners have said that the daily congestion has caused a decline in customers and have warned that they face drastic cost-cutting measures, or in some cases closure, if a solution is not found B次元官网网址渟ooner rather than laterB次元官网网址�.

Smaller local shops, particularly impacted by local residents who work outside of Sooke choosing to shop in towns such as Langford before braving the traffic home, have urged the community to B次元官网网址渟hop local", warning that it is a B次元官网网址渦se it or lose itB次元官网网址� situation.

B次元官网网址淚've had my shop for 16 years now, and I've never seen it this quiet,B次元官网网址� said Karen Stones, owner of A Sea of Bloom, a floral and gift boutique shop on Otter Point Road, speaking to Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror. B次元官网网址淥ne person has said to me that if this keeps going, theyB次元官网网址檒l be done by the fall. I can tell people are scared like B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 a worry.B次元官网网址�

For Stones, who recently had a knee operation forcing her to hire more employees and use reserves to cover costs, her fear is having to cut staff if the problem persists.

B次元官网网址淚f it gets to the point where I might have to close, IB次元官网网址檓 going to be laying everybody off,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd it would just be my husband and I running it. We would normally rely on regular sales, but they're not happening.B次元官网网址�

In a bid to encourage more business and find a quick short-term solution, Stones and neighbouring shop owners are teaming up to encourage Sooke residents to shop local and support them. Ideas include a parking-lot party, increased social media activity, new signage and late-night openings.

B次元官网网址淲e do have a good set of locals that support us, but everybody's busy and people are frustrated with the traffic so they're not coming into the core of Sooke,B次元官网网址� said Stones. B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e just trying to remind people that weB次元官网网址檙e still here and to shop local.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 not just Stones and her neighbours that are speaking out about the problems facing local businesses. At a District of Sooke meeting on July 8, nearly 40 minutes was dedicated to a period of public participation, as business owners and residents lined up to have their say about the ongoing traffic woes.

Dentist Chris Bryant told councillors that missed appointments was costing his business in the region of B次元官网网址渇our-figures every monthB次元官网网址�, urging the council to B次元官网网址渢ake off the gloves and get bloodyB次元官网网址� to tackle the issue.

B次元官网网址淲e are losing businesses that just arenB次元官网网址檛 going to come back to Sooke,B次元官网网址� warned realtor Shayne Fedosenko, who gave one example of a group home that has closed down and is moving to Langford because of staffing issues caused by the traffic.

B次元官网网址淏usinesses are saying that itB次元官网网址檚 time to go, they canB次元官网网址檛 get people to come out here and work,B次元官网网址� added Fedosenko.

Other business owners cited concerns that tourists are being deterred by the traffic and that staff leaving work early or arriving late because of the delays is causing a rise in overtime payments.

Traffic delays on Highway 14 have been an ongoing issue for Sooke for many years, but the problem has been exacerbated in recent months by works to upgrade Charters Road, which B次元官网网址渞emains on scheduleB次元官网网址� to be completed by October.

A petition launched in June, which calls for the B.C. governmentB次元官网网址檚 immediate attention to address the traffic gridlock, now has close to 3,100 signatures as of Monday, July 22.

An online fundraiser has also been launched to raise $15,000, in addition to $10,000 already pledged by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce, to help fund the hiring of an B次元官网网址渆xpert engineerB次元官网网址� to work with municipal staff to explore and implement critical traffic improvements.

B次元官网网址淲hen people are close to tears describing how this is hurting their business, I just want to jump in and help,B次元官网网址� said business owner Susan Jones, who launched the petition and fundraiser. B次元官网网址淚 don't know if Home Hardware have enough shovels for us to go out there and dig up a road ourselves. But you know, it's to that extreme.B次元官网网址�

In a statement on July 17, the District of Sooke said that it was continuing to monitor traffic delays on Highway 14 as part of efforts to address ongoing congestion concerns. And in her July mayoral message, Maja Tait said the councilB次元官网网址檚 resources are dedicated to addressing short, medium, and long-term solutions for SookeB次元官网网址檚 transportation needs. 

But for Sooke business owners, time is running out.

B次元官网网址淥ne guy told me, 'ItB次元官网网址檚 like, do we keep going? At what point do we pull the pin?'B次元官网网址� teacher Greg Jacobson told Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror about a conversation he had with a local business owner. B次元官网网址淎nd this is a someone who's in their fifties considering another 10 years to dig themselves out of a hole or do they just pull the pin now?B次元官网网址�