What Would Elvis Do? Businesses Treated Unfairly

I recently asked readers to send in their questions so I could answer them without any bias or double speak. Just clear answers to whatever is on your mind. That way when your having troubles forming an opinion you can always ask, "What Would Elvis Do?"


This question comes from a business owner upset about the fact that businesses aren't being treated fairly when it comes to the survey on the Southlands development

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I run a retail store in Tsawwassen and I take great offense to the way the Delta Free Press has covered the development proposal for the Southlands. Your reporting is always very one sided and it is fairly obvious you have a hidden agenda. In an article about the recent survey you go so far as to make the statement, "In contrast, businesses were less concerned with the survey as only 106 of the 360 surveys sent out to businesses were returned."

Let me be very clear on this point. Businesses are concerned about the Southlands development and the results that came back from the businesses (62% in favour of 'some' development) tell this story. I know if you had your way our opinion wouldn't count for anything. As business owners we provide our neigbours with goods and services locally so they don't have to drive all the way to Richmond to shop. As business owners, we rely on our neighbours to shop at our stores to keep us in business. I have seen a decline in business as the population continues to drop. This development will revitalize our town. If we don't allow more people in Tsawwassen you will see even more schools shut down and more businesses will be forced to close down.

How can you be so unreasonable when it comes to developing the Southlands? It's you and your kind that are standing in the way of a compromise that could bring peace to this parcel of land and provide the much needed population growth to stop us from becoming a ghost town. Do you want everyone to have to drive to Richmond to do all their shopping? That would make Costco happy wouldn't it?

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Dear "business owner",

Let me begin by apologizing regarding the comment about businesses being less concerned. I know that as a business owner you must be very concerned. You have taken a lot of risk setting up business in a small town and you rely on the community to support your livelihood. You are a valuable part of Tsawwassen and your opinion does matter.

I can understand your frustrations but I disagree that this development will bring in enough economic benefits to offset the irreparable damage it will do to the environment, ecology, and culture. I believe it is for these reasons that the community has opposed this development time and time again. There is an economic benefit of having a larger customer base and it's hard to deny that more people equals more business which equals more money. The problem with this equation is that at some point the population growth reaches a point where it attracts the 'Big Box' stores and when they move in it puts such a strain on local businesses that they are unable to compete. I think preserving our rural culture and controlling growth is far more beneficial to the small shops that line 56th Street.

I don't think that putting in a couple thousand houses on the Southlands is the answer for business. Tsawwassen is a very unique community and has the potential to become a destination for specialty shopping. I believe the number I heard was 2 million people use the ferries each year. If we could attract more of them into our town center that would be a larger benefit than any mass housing development. Besides, who would want to shop on a street that is overwhelmed with dump truck after dump truck bringing in fill to the Southlands.

If I were running a business in Tsawwassen I would stand up vocally against the Southlands development. Retail is reliant upon on the loyalty of 'your neighbours' and 'your neighbours' have voted overwhelmingly against this development over and over again. Why would I want to defy my customers and give them a reason to boycott my shop. It's just bad business. As a matter of fact, I think that opposing something as unpopular as this development could only be good for business.

As for being concerned? I think the biggest concern I would have if I were running a retail store in Tsawwassen is the proposed shopping center to be located on the Tsawwassen First Nations land. Rumour has it that WalMart and the Home Depot have already signed agreements to open stores on the TFN land. That is less than a five minute drive away from the Tsawwassen town center. I would be doing whatever I could to stop it completely or mitigate the terrible effects it will have on business.

In a nutshell, I would stand behind my community in opposition to the Southlands and I would rally as much support as I could to encourage the TFN to not allow 'Big Box' stores.

And that is "What Elvis Would Do!"

* The identity of the letter writer has been withheld to prevent any unnecessary conflict that may result between the business owner and the community. I do support local shops and want to see them thrive. I have heard that some business owners who came forward to speak at the TAP meetings in support of development have been boycotted by people in the community. If the shop owner wishes to be identified I will do so upon their request.