Cost of doing business in Kelowna grows amid social disorder – Okanagan

While relieved a dumpster fire behind his Kelowna, B.C., furniture store didn’t spread, it’s just the latest blaze Gaeten Benoit says he’s had to contend with.

“I extinguished two fires last year,” said Benoit, who owns Treehouse Interiors on Windsor Road off of Spall Road.

Sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning, a fire broke out behind the furniture store, the flames damaging a cardboard recycling dumpster next to the building.

“It was full of cardboard, which could cause the flames to go higher and touch the roof line,” Benoit said.

Next door at Savoy Equipment, the flames also raised serious concerns.

“Because we service lawn and garden equipment, we have fuel on the premises,” said David Turner, owner of Savoy Equipment. “If fire ever reached the wrong place … then certainly it could be, I don’t want to use the word catastrophic, but it could be significant.”

Two years ago, an auto repair shop in the same area was destroyed after a fire erupted outside of it.

“We rely on the store. Something like that will catch on fire, it will have a huge impact,” Benoit said.

Benoit said he has to do daily checks of the property for any kind of vandalism along with regular cleaning outside.

“We have lots… like lots of, sometimes a homeless camp in the back, people cutting the fence or starting fires,” he said.

Benoit said he’s already spent thousands of dollars on protective measures and the costs are adding up, amid an already tough economic climate.

While hiring a private security company has crossed his mind, he says, the principle of it doesn’t sit well.

“Because in the end, businesses pay property tax and property taxes provide those services,” Benoit said. “For me it’s like removing the responsibility from the city, and I would rather my, you know, my tax, property tax, to go slightly higher and get better services than going privately.”

While he said the city’s new grant program, which offers $3,000 to offset security costs, is a good thing,  it doesn’t always go far enough.

“When you have 22,000 square feet, you need quite a larger amount,” Benoit said.

While no one from the city was available to respond to the concerns, in an email to Global News, a spokesperson stated its community safety department has already been working in the area .

Benoit acknowledged the city is trying to do what it can in its limited capacity and said it’s changes to the judicial system that are needed.

“We are teaching our kids action have consequences, but then you see you see people out there committing crimes all the time and there is no real consequences,” Benoit said. “I think the main problem here is the justice system.”

Turner added that more support services are also needed to get a handle on the social disorder affecting businesses.

“I think it starts with the mental health issues and addiction issues and we have nowhere to send these people,” Turner said.

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