The City of Toronto organizes and hosts public meetings then conducts a poll 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 Cedarbrae Markham Lawrence (CML) BIA Steering Committee was officially formed in February 2023 after several months of hard work by business and community leaders in the CML community as a direct result of the hardships businesses incurred due to the pandemic.
The steering committee believes investing in community initiatives such as establishing a BIA creates a safe environment where people and businesses can thrive. The formation of a BIA in the neighbourhood of CML in Scarborough will bring visibility to the local businesses and create a strong relationship between the people and the businesses in the community. The steering committee believes the formation of a BIA in CML neighbourhood will:
A public consultation meeting was held on February 20, 2024, where City of Toronto staff presented an overview of the BIA program and answered questions from potential members. The public meeting was attended by a total of 19 commercial property owners and business tenants. A secret ballot was held to determine if sufficient support to proceed to a formal poll. Of the 19 ballots cast, 16 were in favour of proceeding to the formal poll and three were not in favour.
This result meets the minimum requirements of 50 per cent plus one in order to proceed to a formal poll as set out by Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code. A staff report for a formal poll request is the agenda for the Economic Community Development Committee meeting on April 30, 2024.
Please be advised that Poll (BIA 2024-052), Cedarbrae Markham Lawrence is scheduled to be mailed on August 26, 2024.
This poll closes on October 24, 2024.
If you have any questions regarding this poll, please contact Registry Services at registryservices@toronto.ca.
The City Clerk received a total of twenty (20) ballots by October 24, 2024, the end of the notice period.
A total of seventeen (17) of the twenty (20) returned ballots (85 per cent) were in favour of establishing the proposed BIA, meeting the required benchmark as set out in the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19-2.3H.
A total of three (3) ballots (15 percent) were in opposition.
See more details from this ePoll.
For any questions about the Cedarbrae Markham Lawrence BIA Proposal, contact sandi.koitsis-zigomanis@toronto.ca or call 416-392-7183.
The Upper Avenue BIA Steering Committee was officially formed in November 2023 in order to build upon longstanding interest in creating a BIA in the area.
The steering committee believes investing in community initiatives such as establishing a BIA will lead to the development of a pleasant, safe, walkable, inclusive neighbourhood. The steering committee believes the formation of a BIA in Upper Avenue neighbourhood will:
A public consultation meeting was held on May 21, 2024, where City of Toronto staff presented an overview of the BIA program and answered questions from potential members. The public meeting was attended by a total of 41 commercial property owners and business tenants. A secret ballot was held to determine if sufficient support to proceed to a formal poll. Of the 41 ballots cast, 32 were in favour of proceeding to the formal poll and nine were not in favour.
This result meets the minimum requirements of 50 per cent plus one in order to proceed to a formal poll as set out by Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code. A staff report for a formal poll request was on the agenda for the June 7, 2024, Economic Community Development Committee. City Council adopted this item on July 24, 2024, without amendments and without debate.
Please be advised that Poll (BIA 2024-058), Upper Avenue is scheduled to be mailed on October 15, 2024.
This poll closes on December 13, 2024.
If you have any questions regarding this poll, please contact Registry Services at registryservices@toronto.ca.
For any questions about the Upper Avenue BIA Proposal, contact karen.keskull@toronto.ca or call 416-338-5860.
The Geary BIA Steering Committee was officially formed in November 2023 in order to build upon longstanding interest in creating a BIA in the area.
The steering committee believes investing in community initiatives such as establishing a BIA will lead to the development of a pleasant, safe, walkable, inclusive neighbourhood. The steering committee believes the formation of a BIA in the Geary neighbourhood will create opportunities for:
A public consultation meeting was held on July 30, 2024, where City of Toronto staff presented an overview of the BIA program and answered questions from potential members. A secret ballot was held to determine if sufficient support to proceed to a formal poll.
The vote conducted was negative. Therefore, in accordance with the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 19, another formal public consultation meeting relating to any part of the same area shall not be held for at least two years from the date of the formal public consultation meeting at which the decision was made.
For any questions about the Geary BIA Proposal, contact ron.nash@toronto.ca or call 416-392-7354.