In Ottawa’s Chinatown, the small business community forms a vibrant network of restaurants, shops and services that enrich the city culturally, socially and economically. These enterprises, built by hardworking individuals who invest their time, savings and passion, are more than commercial entities; they are integral to the community’s heartbeat. Yet they are increasingly burdened by systemic issues such as homelessness and drug addiction, exacerbated by opaque policymaking processes that often overlook their voices and concerns.
Over the years, Chinatown has faced escalating safety concerns tied to these systemic challenges. Business owners deal daily with trespassing, public drug use, discarded needles, public defecation, break-ins, theft, violent behaviour, and vandalism. While these issues reflect broader societal failures, their impact is felt most acutely at the neighbourhood level.
The recent disclosure of an application to establish a HART (Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment) Hub has heightened anxiety — not due to opposition to addressing homelessness and addiction, but because of its proposed location in a community of small businesses, families and schools. These concerns are not hypothetical; they are based on lived experiences.
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Although the proposed HART Hub inside the Somerset West Community Health Centre at 55 Eccles St. off Booth Street might address challenges faced by businesses, past experiences with similar services, such as the safe injection site located at the same spot, suggest otherwise. These facilities often have not effectively alleviated the issues and have instead created unmanaged challenges, such as clients spilling over onto nearby streets.
Business owners are frequently left to deal with human waste, theft and confrontations with individuals in crisis — disruptions that stretch their already limited resources. The broader negative impacts on the surrounding community raise questions about the model’s overall effectiveness. Many business owners contend that, despite the noble intentions behind these services, a lack of effective management and sufficient resources has exacerbated operational difficulties and safety concerns in their neighbourhoods.
Despite these challenges, small business owners remain compassionate and committed members of their community, recognizing the importance of supporting vulnerable populations. However, they question the rationale of placing such facilities in busy commercial zones. This approach shifts the consequences of systemic failures onto those least equipped to manage them.
Business owners not only bear the emotional and operational burden, but also face significant financial losses. Many report spending hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on repairs, cleanup and security measures to address vandalism, theft and the aftermath of crises occurring near their premises. For some, these additional costs have eroded already slim profit margins, pushing them closer to closure.
Already grappling with rising costs, labour shortages and the lingering effects of the pandemic, small businesses are now expected to shoulder these additional burdens without consultation, support or safeguards. This expectation is not only unjust, but also unsustainable.
If addressing one problem creates greater challenges for an entire neighbourhood — affecting businesses, families and residents — it raises serious concerns about whether such approaches are equitable. Without stronger management and adequate resources, these services risk intensifying the very issues they aim to resolve. Policymakers must critically evaluate these measures and implement solutions that uplift rather than undermine communities.
Moreover, many business owners feel excluded from decision-making processes that directly impact them. The debate surrounding the HART Hub’s location illustrates this dynamic. When the Chinatown BIA raised members’ concerns, it faced accusations of overstepping its role. Such criticism not only misrepresents the BIA’s purpose, but also reflects a dismissive attitude toward small businesses. If the very organizations established to represent these voices are minimized, who will advocate for them?
A particularly harmful aspect of this debate is the stigma attached to raising legitimate concerns. Small business owners are often labeled as “NIMBYs” (Not In My Backyard) — a convenient but misleading narrative. For many of these individuals, the issues of homelessness and drug addiction are not abstract; they are literally and figuratively in their backyards. They find used needles in their alleys, human waste on their doorsteps, and tents set up in their parking lots. They deal with the fallout of systemic challenges daily, often at great personal and financial cost. Labelling these individuals as “NIMBYs” ignores the reality that they are already bearing the brunt of these issues. Their concerns are not rooted in selfishness, but in a plea for fair treatment, safety and a balanced approach that does not disproportionately impact one segment of society.
Lessons from other neighbourhoods show that improvements are possible with a balanced approach. In the ByWard Market, the establishment of a police station led to noticeable improvements in public safety, alleviating some of the strain on businesses. Yet, despite similar appeals, Chinatown has yet to see comparable resources allocated to address its challenges. This disparity raises questions about how priorities are set and why certain communities are left behind.
Small businesses are the backbone of Ottawa’s economy and community fabric. They create jobs, generate tax revenue and contribute to the city’s vitality. When businesses are forced to close or scale back, or when new entrepreneurs are deterred due to safety concerns, the ripple effects are felt across the neighbourhood. Jobs are lost, economic activity declines and communities lose their vibrancy. Ignoring these challenges risks undermining the foundations of thriving neighbourhoods.
It is time to recognize the critical role of small businesses and include them as partners in shaping the city’s future. Meaningful consultation, transparency in decision-making and actionable support are essential. Small business owners are not asking for special treatment — they are asking for fairness and for solutions that address systemic issues without creating new challenges.
By engaging business owners, ensuring transparency and crafting solutions that balance compassion for vulnerable populations with fairness for the broader community, Ottawa can create a more equitable environment. Only then can we foster a community that reflects the values of fairness, compassion and shared responsibility.
Yukang Li is the executive director of the Chinatown BIA.
