MONTREAL -- Montreal businesses that oppose bike paths are facing a new kind of heat: calls to boycott them.

A new campaign recently appeared online after growing tension this spring and summer over new bike paths on various city thoroughfares, from Notre-Dame St. to, more recently, St. Denis.

The business owners said the paths would hurt business.

“Merchants only understand the language of money,” reads a new website called Boycott Montreal.

The website lists businesses and entrepreneurs that have spoken out against bike lanes and pedestrianization, including L’Barouf bar, salon owner Hugo Mainville, and the restaurant Joe Beef.

The owner of Beige, a furniture store on Notre-Dame, told CTV he saw his store on the boycott list on Wednesday night. Michael Stratulak said he spoke out against the changes to Notre-Dame because he relies on customers with cars to bring large pieces of furniture home after a purchase. 

“It’s important that people can access our store, not just to shop but for people to be able to leave with stuff,” he said.

“Then I get painted as the horrible capitalist who hates pedestrians and hates bikes.”

Beige was closed for two months during the height of the pandemic. Stratulak says he’s still recovering from an 80 per cent drop in revenue.

“There’s a lot of corporate greed out there,” he said. “I’m just a little fish.”

The people or person behind Boycott Montreal did not respond to CTV’s request for comment. But in statements on the website, they said the businesses on the list are preventing necessary improvements to Montreal neighbourhoods.

“Despite the climate emergency, despite the health risks linked to pollution … despite the risks to the safety of residents linked to the overflow of cars in central districts,” reads the website, “merchants continue to use their economic powers, policy and media to maintain the status quo.”

Boycott Montreal said that it wants to see support given to any businesses left off the list. “We welcome the projects that are going in the right direction,” the statement reads.

One cycling advocate said she agrees that bike paths and pedestrianization are crucial, but she doesn't agree with the website's methods.

“We are in climate crisis. Our city has to change,” says Suzanne Lareau, CEO of Vélo Québec. 

But, she says, a boycott won't accomplish that.

“It’s a war between cyclists and shops, you won’t get anywhere with that,” she said.

Instead, Lareau said, she'd like to see cyclists be more vocal, including in face-to-face conversations, about how they get around.

“Tell the merchants you came by bike and that you’re very happy to shop," she said.