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Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew says small businesses across B.C. are being abandoned by the NDP government in the face of rising vandalism, violence, and street disorder.

In a media release, Dew quotes numbers from a new survey from the Business Improvement Areas of BC (BIABC).

It found that 67 per cent of downtown businesses report street disorder has worsened in the past year, fueled by drugs, mental health crises, and homelessness. Another 74 per cent business owners say staff fear and anxiety have increased, while 61 per cent said they face rising operating costs linked to crime and vandalism.

Nearly one in five businesses believe they may not survive another year if conditions do not improve. Dew is the Opposition Critic for Jobs, Economic Developm

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