A long-standing small business in Lake Cowichan has come out swinging against exorbitant rent increases that are threatening its financial future, as well as others in the community.

Glenda Osborne-Burg, manager of the family-run GerardB次元官网网址檚 Specialty Foods that has operated in the town since 2012, has begun a letter-writing campaign to senior and local levels of government asking for some sort of government protection or regulations against massive rent increases.

She said GerardB次元官网网址檚 Specialty Foods has recently had a 120 per cent rent hike from the owners of the building it operates from.

Osborne-Burg said the British Columbia Tenancy Act, which governs commercial leases in the province, doesnB次元官网网址檛 offer any protections against such rent increases for small businesses.

B次元官网网址淲e are told by government, from municipal to federal, that [small businesses] are invaluable to our respective communities and play a large part in the economic development of our areas,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淵et, when it comes to regulations that can protect our very existence, much more effective legislation is needed, specifically rent or lease-increase protection.B次元官网网址�

Osborne-Burg said sheB次元官网网址檚 not against rent increases, and that she sees a 50 per cent increase as reasonable, but a 120 per cent increase all at once is a B次元官网网址渉eck of a joltB次元官网网址� for a small business like GerardB次元官网网址檚 Specialty Foods, and she knows other businesses in the community that have had to deal with rent increases as high as 300 per cent.

B次元官网网址淭his should not be allowed," she said. "Why canB次元官网网址檛 there be controls in place to protect commercial tenants similar to those controls for housing?B次元官网网址�

Osborne-Burg has written Diana Gibson, B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development & Innovation, on the issue, as well as federal officials and Lake CowichanB次元官网网址檚 council, and she said she intends to continue writing letters until she sees results.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l keep writing until we get some satisfaction,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淛ust waiting for something to happen is not an option for us. IB次元官网网址檓 a firm believer that the squeaky hinge will get the grease.B次元官网网址�

John Baker, who owns the building GerardB次元官网网址檚 Specialty Foods operates from, said that even with the steep rent increase, the tenant is paying about $1.20 per square foot for the commercial space, while the average in the town for commercial space is approximately $1.50 per square foot.

He said he has also had to contend with increasing costs, including hikes in Hydro rates, property taxes, maintenance of the building and other expenses.

"As well, the community has begun to thrive and there's not a lot of commercial space available right now," Baker said. "It's a matter of supply and demand."

Lake Cowichan Mayor Tim McGonigle addressed the issue at a recent council meeting after the town received a letter from Osborne-Burg.

He said the town has investigated high rent increases for commercial properties in Lake Cowichan, and a resolution looking for regulations to control the rent increases for commercial properties was made at a meeting of the Union of B.C. Municipalities.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e waiting for an answer from the province on that resolution,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of commercial properties are facing this, not only in our community but throughout the province, and they are finding it difficult to stay in business with these increases. WeB次元官网网址檒l keep [the issue] on the burner.B次元官网网址�