Bike couriers suffer as oil slump slows corporate Calgary

As the economic effect of low oil prices trickles down to the businesses that help keep corporate Calgary moving, bike couriers are among the hardest hit.

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Many have already been laid off while others have seen their hours and their pay drastically cut.

Courier Danny Shuman says he has been reduced to half days.

We're affected almost directly. Id say we're like almost the first ones that are affected by it because we strictly work for these giant companies, he said.

And if their transactions are getting smaller and smaller between each other then, yah, we suffer from that.

Maggie Schofield, executive director of the Calgary Downtown Association, says the downturn could be devastating for some.

We know that people in the lower spectrum are one, maybe two paycheques away from being homeless and that's an enormous concern, she said.

Shuman, who is single and has no children, says he feels lucky since he still has a job while many of his fellow couriers are looking for work in other fields.

But he's already pining for the boom days.

Ah, back in the day, there'd be $500 days. Now you're lucky if you're making a hundred bucks, he said.