THE City of Vancouver on Tuesday launched a campaign to remind residents that their favourite Broadway businesses are open during construction of the Broadway Subway Project.

“SkyTrain is coming to the Broadway Corridor in 2025, which will be a game changer for everyone who works, lives and shops in this important district,” said Steve Brown, Manager of the City’s Rapid Transit Office. “With station construction starting soon, we want to remind people that the hundreds of diverse Broadway businesses along the corridor are open throughout construction—and that business owners appreciate everyone’s support.”

The I Love Broadway campaign will run on digital and social media channels at key times over the next several years. City staff are providing the campaign graphics to 1,400 Broadway businesses and three Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) to help share the campaign far and wide. City staff have also delivered window decals to ground-floor businesses.

The impetus to run a campaign is based directly on feedback from businesses after construction of the Canada Line. Businesses shared their perspective that a marketing program is a key support mechanism for businesses during major projects and that it needs to coincide with the start of construction. City staff also reviewed several transit projects in North America, which highlighted the value of a business-support campaign through long construction periods.

“As construction gets going, it’s important that people get the message that Broadway is still here for them,” said Neil Wyles, Executive Director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association. “Shopping local has never been more critical, so I’m pleased to see the City is running a campaign to encourage people to show their love for Broadway businesses during SkyTrain construction.”

The City engaged a business and community liaison group to preview the campaign creative and provide feedback. The Broadway Subway Project’s partners (Province of B.C. and TransLink) will share information on the campaign through their social media and other communications channels.

The Broadway Subway Project is being delivered by the provincial government and its contractor, Broadway Subway Project Corporation. Expected to be in service in 2025, it will be operated and maintained by TransLink as part of the regional transit system.

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