Brantford Expositor

For today’s Blog, I felt compelled to relay an account of street-side sellers impacting the business of authentic flower shops.

These individuals often appear in the city during Easter and Mother’s Day, establishing their operations on street corners and parking areas. Typically, they lack the necessary business permits or licenses. They arrive, generate a substantial income, and then depart. Generally, these are ono-local vendors, thereby depriving employment opportunities from the local community members.

The story below was from The Brantford Expositor online April 12, 2024 and in print, April 13, 2024.

 

Photo Credit: Vincent Ball

Vball@postmedia.com

Short-term sellers bad for permanent businesses: Brantford shop owner

Author of the article:

Vincent Ball

Published Apr 12, 2024 

 

Rick Vienneau, who owns the city's two Forest of Flowers locations, with his wife Alex Lim, is encouraging residents to buy local when purchasing flowers on special occasions like Mother's Day, Good Friday and Valentine's Day. PHOTO BY VINCENT BALL /Brantford Expositor

The owners of a local flower shop are appealing to residents to buy from local stores when purchasing flowers on Mother’s Day.

Rick Vienneau and his wife Alex Lim of Forest of Flowers say shops rely on special occasions like Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Good Friday to stay in business. Those stores lose business when roadside flower stalls are set up on those occasions, which hurts their bottom line.

“We are a locally owned and operated small business and have staff that are also local,” Vienneau said. “We don’t believe these roadside vendors are from Brantford.

“They just come in for a day or two, make a quick buck and then leave.”

Roadside flower vendors have been around for quite some time and have an impact on all local, established shops, he said.

But Vienneau said on Good Friday this year there appeared to be an increase in locations over previous years.

“They even set up at the entrance to our plaza on King George Road on Good Friday and Easter Sunday when the Food Basics was closed,” Vienneau said. “In our travels to and from our stores, we saw eight locations and heard from staff about other locations they spotted on their way to work.”

Upon reviewing his year-over-year sales, Vienneau figures the presence of a roadside flower vendor cost him about $2,000 over the Easter weekend.

Vienneau contacted the City of Brantford bylaw enforcement office on Good Friday. He was told that it was a licensing not a bylaw issue because the vendors didn’t have permits or licences to sell.

Vienneau later reached out to city councillors John Sless and Gino Caputo for help

“They were fantastic,” Vienneau said. “They reached out to bylaw staff who have since acknowledged an oversight on their part.

“We understand that nothing can be done about Good Friday and Easter but we’re hoping that they’ll be on top of it for Mother’s Day.”

Under city regulations, vendors who want temporary sales specific locations require the property owner’s permission to operate. They can only operate for up to six consecutive days at a time and must provide a site sketch as part of the application process.

Applications are reviewed by Brantford Police and the city’s building department prior to approval.

As well, there are provisions to prevent excessive competition or disturbance to local businesses, Maria Visocchi, the city’s director, communications and community engagement, said.

“For instance, no applicant or licensee may obtain a specific location temporary sales licence within 30 days of receiving a licence for the same location,” Visocchi said. “Licensees are also restricted to using the designated site solely for the licensed activity during operating hours, which are limited from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.”

Visocchi said the city may take actions such as increased bylaw enforcement to ensure vendors have proper permits and are operating within the regulations.

“This proactive approach helps protect the interests of local businesses like Forest of Flowers,” Visocchi said.

The licence fee for temporary sales is $638, reflecting the administrative costs associated with processing applications and ensuring compliance with regulations, she added.