HOCHELAGA-MAISONNEUVE – Paint, markers and messages: businesses along Sainte-Catherine Street in Montreal’s Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough were hit by a string of graffiti and vandalism this weekend.
Terrie Schauer’s business was one of the targets.
Some businesses were so badly hit by the vandals, they were forced to close and clean-up.
Now, security cameras are being installed by some owners to try and stop the ongoing problem – because it isn’t the first time businesses in the area have been targeted.
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“We get an act like this about once a year,” said Schauer.
“The first one was a big ‘f— you’ tagged on the door.”
“Last year, they broke a window. Cleaning off a little bit of graffiti is not so expensive but it cost us a grand to fix the window and it was in the middle of winter.”
Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough mayor Réal Ménard confirmed to Global News that he’s asked for an increased police presence and wants officers to be more visible.
“The officers in the area are aware and they are looking for incidents,” said Constable Abdullah Emran with Montreal police.
While there were many graffiti-attacks over the weekend in the same area, police said there is no link between them.
Schauer insisted she won’t install any extra security and it’s up to the police – not the businesses – to protect their store fronts.
“I manage properties. The tax base of what my clients and myself pay to the city is phenomenal,” she said.
“Do I think that, at my cost, I should be beefing up security when already me and the clients I represent are paying a large amount of taxes in this area? No.”