What is a Business Improvement Area?

A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is an area of Ottawa in which local business people and property owners cooperate with the city government to improve conditions for business success.

Like a Business Association, a BIA is a not-for-profit organization run by a board of local businesspeople who work to organize, promote, and generally improve conditions for business.

However, unlike a traditional Business Association, the municipal government formally recognizes a BIA as representing business, and collects funds for the BIA budget by collecting a levy from all businesses in the area. Through their BIA, these businesses can more effectively promote economic development, communicate with the City, and organize, finance, and manage streetscape improvements.

What does a BIA do?

In general, a BIA promotes an area, facilitates beautification, and strives to foster a sense of identity and loyalty among customers who use an area. However, because every BIA is driven by its members, and responds to the particular challenges of its business environment, each BIA can be involved in a variety of different activities – depending on their needs.

• Marketing: researching who area customers are, and creating effective promotions to retain and expand the customer base.
• Streetscape improvement: Providing for customer-friendly signage, banners, planters, and even better lighting and street furniture etc.
• Special events: Organizing and partnering in special events that highlight the unique attributes of the area and increase customer visits.
• • Fighting vacancies: Working with property owners to track the mix of business in the area, ensure that available space is occupied, and that an optimum business and service mix is achieved and maintained.

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