‘I’m losing money every day’: Kitchener business next door to Frederick construction suffering
Posted Mar 2, 2026 07:49:30 AM.
Last Updated Mar 2, 2026 10:49:06 AM.
It’s a project that could have significant benefits for Kitchener as a whole, but the Frederick Street Bridge project is causing concerns for a business owner neighbouring the construction site.
The bridge was demolished in December last year following a lengthy planning process, and marks the second phase of the project to build a new Highway 7, connecting Waterloo Region to Guelph by way of a modernized roadway.
Noor Boutique is one of the few Turkish specialty stores in Waterloo Region, selling traditional clothing and more, and is located at 510 Frederick St. on the doorstep of the Frederick Street Bridge construction.
Neslihan Gokcan, the owner of the boutique, claims that the bridge construction is having a significant influence on the decline of her business, impacting the way customers are interacting with her storefront and limiting their ability to access the building she’s located in.
“Before, people were crossing the bridge going to the Tim Hortons or the Frederick mall, and they were stopping by at my store getting something,” said Gokcen. “Now, for the last two months, I don’t have any walk-in customers because the road is closed.”
Gokcen signed a lease at 510 Frederick St. two years ago, and at the time of signing, wasn’t aware of the bridge construction. She received a letter from the City of Kitchener last year, which alerted her to the construction set to begin in December.
“It’s affected my business,” said Gokcan. “I don’t have any sales. Last month I had two or three customers, and they were my friends. There are signs everywhere saying ‘closed’. Nobody enters on to Frederick. I’m really in a hard situation.”
“I’m losing money every day. I don’t think about my profits. I don’t want to lose, I can’t even make my rent.”
Construction of the Frederick Street Bridge is set to continue into 2027, with a projected completion date in June.
The bridge represents the second phase of the broader project to build Highway 7, with the third phase set to commence sometime in “early 2026” according to Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation.
Phase three includes vegetation clearing and the installation of fencing along the projected route of the highway from Bridge Street in Kitchener to the Hanlon in Guelph.
The latest updates on the Highway 7 and Frederick Street Bridge construction can be found here.
