City of Toronto Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)

City of Toronto Business Improvement Areas (BIAs):

A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a Local Agency of the City of Toronto whose members are made up of commercial property owners and tenants within a defined area who work under Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Act  to create thriving, competitive and safe business areas that attract shoppers, diners, tourists and new businesses. By working collectively as a BIA, local businesses have the organizational and funding capacity to be catalysts for civic improvement, enhancing the quality of life in their local neighbourhood and the City as a whole. Business Improvement Area (BIA) Office:
  1.  Provide support and advice to over 85 BIAs Board of Management across the City of Toronto
  2. Administrative responsibilities for the BIA program as set out in Chapter 19 in the Toronto Municipal Code.
  3. Implementation of 50:50 cost-shared capital improvement program with BIAs and business associations on municipal property
  4. Supporting Programs: implementation of the Commercial Facade Improvement Grant Program; Outside Mural and Street Art Program
  5. Policy and program development related to strengthening the small business sector and revitalizing the city's older commercial and industrial districts.
To find out if there is a BIA covering your area see the map on the City website. 
 
Toronto now boasts more than 85 BIAs across the City, the largest number of BIAs of any urban centre in the world. The 85+ BIAs represent in excess of 30,000 businesses and 22,000 commercial property owners. Together, they generate more than $40 million in levy and $61 million in operating budget towards street and sidewalk beautification, marketing and promotional campaigns, street festivals, clean street and graffiti-removal campaigns and crime prevention strategies. BIAs also act as a unified voice to address issues on behalf of their membership. Originally, a typical BIA consisted primarily of small retail businesses. However, today's BIA membership is far more diverse representing a wide variety of businesses including professional and creative services, high-tech, light industrial, restaurants, entertainment venues and more.  Typically, BIAs are formed along a commercial main street strip and may include perimeter side streets. Some BIAs cover several blocks. Some identify with the ethnic makeup of their surrounding neighbourhoods, while others are located in historical sections of the City. Still, others are made up of related businesses. The only common denominator is a desire to enhance their business area and improve their community.
 
Commercial and industrial districts are not automatically designated as BIAs. It is up to the businesses and property owners in an area to establish a BIA.

Starting a BIA:

The decision to start a BIA can only be made by people who own or lease commercial and/or industrial property in the area. Steps to start a BIA are as follows:
  1. Establish a steering committee
  2. Determine community interest
  3. Holding a public meeting and formal BIA request made to City
  4. Clerk conducts poll
  5. If favourable poll result, council approves by-law
For more information on how to start a BIA, please visit the city's website.
 
The City of Toronto provides assistance to BIAs in:
  • starting and expanding a BIA
  • developing a budget
  • improving neighbourhood safety
  • strategic planning
  • annual general meetings -
The City also provide grants to BIAs to implement:
Once the BIA members approve the budget and City Council ratifies it, funds are raised through a levy on all commercial and industrial properties within the BIA’s boundary. Calculation of this levy is based on the proportionate value of each property’s commercial and/or industrial assessment. The City collects the levy as a part of the Commercial Tax Bill and forwards the levy funds to the duly elected BIA Board to manage.
 
Every business property owner is charged a share of the annual budget, based on that member's share of the BIA's total commercial realty assessment. For example: If a business's commercial realty assessment is $6,000, the total commercial realty assessment of all businesses in the BIA is $2,000,000, and the BIA's annual budget is $100,000, then that business's BIA levy is: $6,000 X $100,000 / $2,000,000 = $300
 
A BIA is run by a volunteer Board of Management elected from its members. The Board is nominated at an Annual General Meeting, and once approved and appointed by City Council, serves a four-year term concurrent with the term of Council. The Board works on behalf of its BIA and meets regularly to develop budgets, set priorities, implement capital improvements, plan festivals, and promote its business area.
 
BIA Operating Handbooks: available on the City's website.

Complaints about a BIA:

The City works in partnership with the BIA and does not intervene in the management of the BIA. If you are not satisfied with the actions of the BIA Board members, please first communicate with the BIA Board of Management to attempt to resolve the issue, and then if not satisfied with the response, contact the City's BIA office. The City will not intervene on BIA Board of Management decisions; however, if there are BIA Board members acting in an inappropriate manner, the City's Community Councils can change the BIA Board of Management members.
 
BIA events: Refer to the TABIA events calendar for a listing of BIA events. The calendar is available on the TABIA website.