With the beautiful weather, Montreal’s public markets were swarming with people on Saturday. Mother’s Day is a sleep away, the flower centres at Jean-Talon Market and across the city are buzzing with activity. However, this year, soaring fuel costs are taking a big bite out of their profits. After a long winter and chilly start to spring, Luigi Bono of Jardins Chez Michel is hoping the weekend will kick-start his season. “I think it’s very important for everyone to do their garden,” he said. “[It] keeps the heart in a well-being and in a good place.” The family business has been operating out of the iconic Montreal market for 50 years, but Bono says this year, costs have never been higher. “Seed prices, fertilizer prices, [and] shipping prices have gone up a lot,” said Bono. “We also use machinery, so oil, fuel and diesel have gone up a lot.” Like many other small businesses in Quebec, Bono has decided not to pass the costs along to his customers. “We’re fighting against giants - Walmart, Costco - all those big corporations are selling flowers,” he said. “That’s when we got to take the hits.” Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) Quebec vice-president Francois Vincent said the resilience of small businesses is not something that can last forever. The CFIB says that more than half of Quebec small businesses say rising fuel costs are a top concern, with two-thirds saying they have no choice but to absorb the costs and lower profits. “The smaller the business is, the harder the hit will be of an increase of price,” said Vincent. At Atwater Market, the story is similar. “We need to adjust the price and the consequence [is that] customers are not always happy about it,” said Mathieu Letorneau of Ferme Fernand Theoret. “Some understand it. Some don’t understand. For sure it has an impact on the sales.” Letorneau says fuel prices are one thing, but his biggest cost is renting the kiosk, and he’s asking the city for relief. The high costs aren’t just affecting farmers. Some hobby gardeners are also questioning whether it’s worth it this year. Bono, however, has a simple message. “Don’t be afraid because we haven’t raised out prices and people need to do what makes them feel well,” he said.
