The bar industry is calling on Quebec to address the wave of extortion that has been hitting many establishments for several months.
The Corporation of Owners of Bars, Breweries and Taverns of Quebec (CPBBTQ) is asking for the reduction of the commission on video lotteries to be postponed and for a consultation committee to be re-established, bringing together police officers and bar owners.
This is not the first time this year that the organization has asked the Quebec government to take action regarding this “unprecedented” wave of extortion. The situation is getting worse and worse, says Renaud Poulin, President and CEO of the CPBBTQ.
“It started in Montreal and then spread to the South Shore, Longueuil, Laval and the North Shore. Now it’s spreading everywhere. It’s very worrying,” Poulin said in an interview. “The crisis isn’t abating.”
Criminal acts targeting commercial establishments have increased, the corporation reports. They range from gunfire against buildings and Molotov cocktails to threats and demands for money in exchange for “protection.”
It is difficult to count the number of establishments that have fallen victim to extortion in recent months, as many are afraid to report it, says Poulin.
Nevertheless, the consequences are being felt throughout the industry. Owners are having to invest additional resources to strengthen security around their establishments. Others are being forced to close their doors, the corporation reports.
By postponing the reduction in the video lottery commission paid to bars, establishments could count on several thousand dollars allowing them to partially cover security investments, according to Poulin.
He also calls for the return of a committee where bar owners could confide “in complete safety” with the police, as in the early 2000s with the “Nocturne” project. Poulin recalls that initiative helped curb the wave of extortion that was hitting bars at that time.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
