The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) is proud to announce the launch of its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, a comprehensive framework designed to guide OBIAA’s mission to build the capacity of Main Streets across Ontario. This strategic plan reflects OBIAA’s commitment to strengthening local economies and fostering thriving Main Streets throughout the province.
OBIAA’s Vision is for every Ontario community to have thriving Main Streets, where economic vitality, collaboration, and innovation drive local success. The OBIAA Mission Statement is to provide the resources, networks, and advocacy required to support Main Street resilience and growth. Through this mandate, OBIAA will continue to raise the profile of Main Streets as economic and social drivers, ensuring they remain desirable places to live, work, and invest.
The plan focuses on three key Main Street strategies to drive success:
Strengthening Organizational Capacity and Sustainability – Enhancing OBIAA’s operational resilience through diversified revenue streams, optimized resource allocation, and robust risk management.
Empowering Advocacy for Economic and Social Well-being – Equipping members with the tools, resources, and data needed to amplify their impact on local economies and community development.
Building Member Capacity through Knowledge – Facilitating collaboration, best practices, and training to empower members to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
ABOUT OBIAA
OBIAA, since 2001, is the network that represents unique and vibrant main streets and BIAs across Ontario. As the leading catalyst, OBIAA raises the profile and builds the capacity of main streets across the province, working to build economic prosperity and social cohesiveness, making Ontario stronger by ensuring main streets are desirable and viable places to invest and live.
OBIAA collectively represents:
- – More than 100,000 businesses
- – More than 18,000 property owners
- – 6 million employees and jobs
- – Current Value Assessment (CVA) of more than $70 billion
- – Our BIAs collectively generate >$55 million in public realm investment funds through special municipal levies and combined levy of more than $765 million spent keeping Ontario’s communities vital and economically strong
ABOUT Ontario’s BIAs
The first BIA Legislation in the world was created in 1970 in a partnership with Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Bloor West Village and the City of Toronto. Since then, the BIA Legislation has continued as a partnership between the businesses, within a by-lawed boundary, and the municipality with monies generated by a “self-funded’ – additional levy on commercial property owners within the BIA boundaries. BIAs work hand-in-hand with the economic development offices in their municipalities to create jobs and strong businesses.
As a not-for-profit, OBIAA falls under the Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act and is governed by a board of directors. OBIAA uses a Strategic Plan, which is developed every four years, to provide a road map for our committees.
READ OBIAA’s NEW STRATEGIC PLAN – OBIAA – STRAT Plan 2025-2028 – Building Local Success Together
OBIAA March OBIAA – Media Release – OBIAAs 2025-2028 Strategic Plan – Building Local Success Together
Our Staff
Our team is small but mighty!
The OBIAA team is made up of three very passionate people with years of BIA and event experience behind them. Reach out today to see what the OBIAA team can do for you!
Rachel Braithwaite
Executive Director
[email protected]
Direct: 647-521-5341
Erin Douglas
Admin & Membership Manager
[email protected]
[email protected]
Kennishia Duffus
Event Manager
[email protected]
OBIAA Elected Board of Directors
OBIAA Board members are elected in April to a 2 year term. The board consists of Executive Directors, Managers, Board Members and Stakeholders of BIAs from cities and towns across the province and includes Provincial Government Liaisons.
Still have questions?
Legal Disclaimer on Advice Given
Legal Notice:
The Ontario
Business Improvement Area Association (the “OBIAA”) is a supportive
organization which exists for the purpose of sharing experiences with members,
suggesting possible avenues to investigate, and to provide a sounding board for
members.
Advice
given in the course of communications with the OBIAA is NOT legal or
professional advice and is not a replacement for same. It is ultimately, the obligation of members
and other groups seeking advice from the OBIAA to satisfy themselves that they
understand their rights and obligations under the law, and to seek legal
counsel or professional advice when necessary.
The OBIAA does not hold itself out as being in a position to provide
either professional or legal advice. The
OBIAA accepts no liability if information it provides to members is acted upon
to their detriment, in whole or in part.