NW Calgary pizza shop owner feeling impact of water restrictions
Posted Jan 9, 2026 7:31 am.
Saud Abassi is the owner of Pizza Bae in Montgomery, and like many in the northwest Calgary neighbourhood, his small business has been dramatically affected by the water main break and flood on Dec. 30, a day before the busiest night of the year.
“Normally New Years’ is the most busiest night for any restaurant, any pizzeria, you know people are going out, they’re coming late inside to their homes, they want to order pizza, you know… it was something like that you know — we were damaged,” he told CityNews.
Abassi was out delivering pizzas when he and others were stranded on 16 Avenue as the water break caused major flooding.
He jumped into action when he saw people that needed help.
“There was lots of water, started coming on the road, and lots of cars were trapped and the water was up until waist high,” he recalled. “There were some families there were stuck looking for help and I jumped in the water to rescue the families that were looking for assistance and help and took them to safety.”
What he wasn’t expecting to wake up to was his own business shut down on New Years’ Day and a boil water advisory in place.
He ended up using bottled water for his dough and has some more in case it happens again.
Now, he is hoping for help himself.
“I know that Calgarians are going to come forward and support. But I want to know what my city is doing to support the businesses here in Montgomery,” Abassi said. “There are people that have been affected.”
Abassi has owned the business for just three months, and says that if something like this happens again, he may have to shut his doors.
