The City of Toronto organizes and hosts public meetings and conduct polls to determine if there is sufficient interest in establishing a new Business Improvement Area (BIA) or expanding the boundaries of an existing BIA. The areas listed below are under consideration.
The proposed Lawrence Ingram Keele Establishment Improvement Area Steering Committee was established in March 2019, and has been working to establish a BIA in the Lawrence-Ingram-Keele area.
The BIA under consideration will include primarily industrial and commercial properties.
Since it was established, the Steering Committee has been working to address issues including:
The Steering Committee hosted an Open House on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 and met with area industrial/commercial property owners and business tenants to present the BIA concept and receive feedback on stakeholder priorities.
The City of Toronto BIA Office received a request from the Steering Committee to conduct a public meeting to discuss the potential to form a new BIA, and conduct a vote whether to proceed to the formal polling stage of approval. The meeting took place on Wednesday, October 23, 2019.
The membership agreed to proceed to the polling stage.
January 24
Poll details, including the notice, ballot and declaration are also available at ePolling.
March 23
John Gagliano, Chair, Proposed Lawrence Ingram Keele BIA Steering Committee
info.likebia@gmail.com
www.likebia.com
Ron Nash, City of Toronto
416 392-7354
ron.nash@toronto.ca
The proposed Toronto Gateway Business Improvement Area Steering Committee was established in December 2019, and has been working to establish a BIA for properties generally fronting along Dixon Road, generally between Highway 401 and Highway 427, adjacent to Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Proposed Toronto Gateway BIA
torontogatewayvia@gmail.com
Ron Nash, City of Toronto
416-392-7354
ron.nash@toronto.ca
The proposed Willowdale BIA Steering Committee was formed in November 2019 after months of preparation and a public meeting with business and community leaders in Willowdale. Their goal is to establish a BIA in Willowdale from Bishop Ave. south to Highway 401, and generally Doris Ave. west to Beecroft Ave. The area is home to approximately 1,800 businesses with a population of over 80,000 who live within a five-minute walk from Yonge St.
The City of Toronto received a request from the Willowdale BIA Steering Committee to expedite slightly the process to form a BIA in Toronto. The request by the Willowdale BIA Steering Committee, through local Councillor for Willowdale, John Filion, was to skip the step of conducting a public meeting to discuss the proposed Willowdale BIA. Due to the Steering Committee’s extensive public engagement and the expeditious need to help businesses address the economic impact of Covid-19, this motion was adopted by the Economic and Community Development Committee on July 20. Should the motion be passed at City Council on July 28 the Willowdale BIA will move directly to the stage of a formal poll.
The poll will provide members of the business community within the proposed boundary to vote on the proposed BIA, which is a self-funded association of commercial and industrial property owners and business tenants who seek to improve Willowdale’s business environment.
The Willowdale BIA Steering Committee has been working hard to address three specific areas:
Steering Committee members include:
July 20
July 28
August 24
Poll details, including the notice, ballot and declaration are also available at ePolling.
October 22
Nuno Topa (Chair)
Ned Sabev, City of Toronto
416-392-1134
The City of Toronto received a request from The Waterfront BIA Expansion Steering Committee to conduct a public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion of The Waterfront BIA. The Steering Committee is proposing to expand the BIA boundaries east of Yonge Street, to Cherry Street, and south of the Gardiner Expressway.
A BIA is a self-funded association of commercial and industrial property owners and business tenants created to improve the local business environment. This meeting will provide members of the business community within the proposed boundary to comment and ask questions on the proposed BIA, its objectives, operations, funding and other issues.
Wednesday, February 26
130 Queens Quay East
East Tower, 4th Floor
Artscape Daniels Launchpad – Sugar Hall C
Registration at 3:30 p.m.
Meeting at 3:45 p.m.
Qualifying commercial and industrial property owners and business tenants in attendance agreed to proceed to the polling stage. City staff drafted a report to the Economic and Community Development Committee and City Council recommending that a poll be conducted to determine if there is sufficient support to expand the BIA.
June 4
June 29
September 21
Poll details, including the notice, ballot and declaration are also available at ePolling.
October 20
Ned Sabev, City of Toronto
416-392-1134
ned.sabev@toronto.ca
Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, The City of Toronto received a request from The Beach BIA Steering Committee to expedite the process to expand the BIA boundary west along Queen St E from Lockwood Rd to Coxwell Av. The request by The Beach BIA Steering Committee, through local Councillor for Ward 13 – Toronto Centre, Brad Bradford was to skip the step of conducting a formal in person public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion. Due to the Steering Committee’s extensive public engagement and the expeditious need to help businesses address the economic impact of Covid-19, this motion was adopted at City Council on July 28. The Beach BIA will move directly to the stage of a formal poll.
The poll will provide members of the business community within the proposed boundary to vote on the proposed expanded BIA, which is a self-funded association of commercial and industrial property owners and business tenants who seek to improve The Beach BIA business environment.
September 28
Poll details, including the notice, ballot and declaration are also available at ePolling.
October 27
Sandi Koitsis-Zigomanis
416-392-7183
Sandi.Koitsis-Zigomanis@toronto.ca