Business owners feel the bite as teachers’ strike empties Calgary classrooms

As Alberta’s provincewide teachers’ strike stretches into its fourth day, the ripple effects are being felt far beyond the classroom.

In Calgary’s Beltline, restaurants that typically rely on student and teacher foot traffic are seeing their lunch hour business vanish.

Across from Western Canada High School, Bussin Burger is usually bustling with students grabbing a quick bite between classes. But this week, the counters are quiet.

“It’s usually around 25 to 35 kids on a daily basis during lunch hour,” said Sanya, a food counter attendant at Bussin Burger. “Then they come again after school.”

With classrooms empty, those regular visits have dried up.

Just steps away at Sal’s Pizza, the drop-off has been even more dramatic.

“From the students, we used to get 300 or 400 slice sales,” s