Craig Beaudry and Monique Haugen, owners of Wiches Cauldron Sandwich Shoppe in Stittsville, fear their business may not survive a five-year road widening project on Carp Road. The couple opened their brick-and-mortar shop in 2023 after operating a food truck, and it has become a local staple for comfort food, drawing regulars including city councillor Glen Gower and former Ottawa Senators star Chris Neil.
Project details and timeline
The City of Ottawa's Carp Road widening project, budgeted at $52,230,000 in the 2026 budget, will transform a two-kilometre stretch between Highway 417 and Hazeldean Road from two lanes to four lanes. The first phase, expected to start this fall, involves modifications to the intersections at Carp Road and Hazeldean Road, with Bell Media currently relocating underground cables. The second phase will widen Carp Road itself, adding new sidewalks and bike tracks on both sides.
Impact on local businesses
Beaudry said the construction will create detours and delays, making it nearly impossible for customers to access the Wiches Cauldron parking lot. "They will be closing one lane individually, which will make it essentially impossible to get in," he explained. "Carp Road is difficult enough to deal with, turning left or turning right … but once it’s closed down to one lane, it’s going to be a nightmare."
Community benefits versus business survival
While Beaudry acknowledged the project is "absolutely crucial and beneficial for the neighbourhood and for the community going ahead," he added, "in the interim, it is probably going to put us under. We will not last this next year and a half, let alone five years." The end result, he noted, will be "golden" for small businesses and residents, alleviating traffic congestion on Carp Road.
Wiches Cauldron is one of several businesses along the corridor facing uncertainty during the construction. The city has not announced specific mitigation measures for affected businesses.
