Saskatoon small businesses cope with broken windows [Video]

Saskatoon police stats show incidents of property damage like smashed windows have risen in some neighbourhoods over most of the last five years, leaving businesses coping with the cost.

The statistics show broken window incidents, which fall under the category of mischief, increased every year except one between 2019 and 2023 in Pleasant Hill, Riversdale and downtown. The number of reported occurrences went from 530 in 2019 to 749 last year. Stats are still being collected to the end of 2024.

Julianna Tan runs a small store on 20th Street that sells products including homemade chocolates. Earlier this fall, her front door was smashed in the early morning hours — and it was caught on security camera.

“An individual had come by and just threw a brick in, and he did just a quick loop and it’s fortunate and unfortunate. The unfortunate part is, obviously we had our door smashed. …