What is a BIA?
What is a BIA?
A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is an association of commercial property owners and tenants within a defined area who work in partnership with the City 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.
Toronto now boasts a total of over 80 BIAs across the City — the largest number of BIAs of any urban centre in the world — representing 45,000 members. Together, they generate more than $34 million in funding towards street and sidewalk beautification, marketing and promotional campaigns, street festivals, clean street / graffiti-removal campaigns, and crime prevention strategies. BIAs also act as a unified voice to address issues on behalf of their membership.
The success of Toronto’s BIA program has been marked by continued growth, from 42 BIAs in 2001 to over 80 BIAs in 2018.
The decision to start a BIA can only be made by people who own or lease commercial property in the area. Starting a new BIA involves a specific process as outlined in Municipal Code Chapter 19 (Amended) 
.
What Are the Benefits of Forming a BIA?
By creating a strong and distinct image for a neighbourhood shopping area and marketing it effectively, BIAs can better compete in an age of shopping malls and big-box retailing. More recently, BIAs have been established in industrial and employment areas.
BIAs can be catalysts for civic improvement and significant contributors to the City’s economy and the quality of life of our neighbourhoods.
In order to help local commercial areas create thriving, competitive and safe business areas, the City of Toronto, through the Economic Development & Culture Division, offers a number of assistance programs to BIAs.
One of the more successful BIA Office programs is the Capital Cost-share Program, which provides matching funding to our BIA partners for streetscape beautification projects. These projects help create a more attractive and marketable image for the area and improve the atmosphere in our neighbourhoods.
Financial assistance is also available to BIAs to implement mural projects; commercial façade improvements and streetscape master plans.
What Can a BIA Do?
Local businesses, working collectively as a BIA, become catalysts for civic improvements, ultimately enhancing the business climate and quality of life of the neighbourhood. As a legal organization mandated by provincial legislation, BIAs are able to develop a budget for improvements and, through the city, collect a levy from businesses in the area to raise the necessary funds.
BIAs improve their local economies through activities such as:
- Street and sidewalk maintenance and capital improvements
- Promotion of the BIA as a business, employment, tourist or shopping area (business directories, festivals, advertising)
- Hosting neighbourhood festivals and events
- Safety, security and crime prevention initiatives
- Graffiti and poster removal services respecting building facades visible from the street
- Strategic plans for business recruitment, market studies and capital improvements
- Advocate on behalf of their membership as a unified voice