Causeway closure hit home in more ways than one

Local business suffered

The recent closure of the LaSalle Causeway has significantly impacted downtown businesses in Kingston, according to new data from Statistics Canada. 

The Whig-Standard reports that tourism professor Brooke Leeson from St. Lawrence College analyzed the Local Business Conditions Index and found that the index peaked at 579 in mid-March 2024. Shortly after the peak, the index dropped by approximately 200 points, coinciding with the causeway's closure.

This decline returned the index to levels not seen since 2022 and 2023. 

The Local Business Conditions Index was launched in October 2020 to monitor business conditions in real-time during the COVID-19 pandemic. It tracks local business activity using traffic data.

Kingston's business index has generally increased since the pandemic, but it naturally fluctuates with student populations. 

The index can also be used to evaluate the effects of natural disasters and significant closures like the bridge at the causeway, on local businesses, highlighting its importance in understanding community disruptions.