The 2026 Annual BIA Conference will take place

April 19-22, 2026

in St. Catharines, ON.

Apr19

The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) proudly presents the 2026 BIA Conference, taking place April 19–22, 2026, in the heart of St. Catharines, Ontario, also known as the Garden City.

Hosted by the St. Catharines Downtown Association, this annual gathering brings together BIA leaders, municipal partners, and community builders from across Ontario for three and a half days of learning, networking, and inspiration.

Registration for Conference delegates will open on December 1, 2025. Stay tuned for more details about the 2026 BIA Conference. We look forward to seeing you there!

The 2025 BIA Conference, presented by Bell, was hosted by the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) and the Collingwood Downtown BIA. The conference took place from March 30 to April 2, 2025, at the Blue Mountain Village Conference Centre in The Blue Mountains, Ontario.

The conference brought together Delegates from Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), Municipalities, Government Officials and Main Street Suppliers from across the province and beyond. Delegates came together to share knowledge, explore best practices, and strengthen the collective voice of Ontario’s Main Street communities.

Stay tuned for details about the 2026 BIA Conference taking place in St. Catharines, ON from April 19-22, 2026. We look forward to seeing you there!

Stay Tuned for Information on the 2026 BIA Conference!

What is the BIA Conference?

The OBIAA BIA Conference is an annual training event geared towards Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) across Ontario and beyond. The Conference features prominent keynote speakers, master workshops, and numerous prospects for enhancing leadership skills, building connections, networking opportunities, and advancing one’s professional development for the future of our main streets.

Why should you attend the BIA Conference?

For our delegates, attending the BIA Conference means stepping away from their busy communities to connect with other Members and Leaders in Ontario to learn and network. It means recharging and returning to their communities ready to make an impact!

2025 Land Acknowledgement

This BIA Conference is located within the boundary of Treaty 18 region of 1818, which is the traditional land of the Anishnaabek, Haudenosaunee and Wendat-Wyandot-Wyandotte peoples.

More Info

Become a Speaker or Host a Workshop

Full Registration Includes (and is not limited to):

Full meals – 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 Awards Dinner, and 3 refreshment breaks

Informative and educational sessions taking place over 3 full days

4 streams of education based on the pillars of downtown revitalization – Leadership & Management, Economic Development, Public Realm, and Marketing & Promotions

High value speakers & content including keynote speakers.

Awards Gala – Recognition of successful and innovative BIA efforts

Mobile Tours of Local BIAs

2.5 days of Trade Show – Enjoy face-to-face connections with over 30 Trade Show Exhibitors

Greetings from Municipal, Provincial, and Federal staff

Networking Opportunities. This is the one time of year when BIA Staff, Board Members, and Municipal Staff get together. You don’t want to miss it!

Other Considerations:

Block pricing for hotel accommodations

An engaging in-person Conference experience

Pre-Conference tours at an additional cost

OBIAA offers a group rate for registration!

Relevant and informative content covered in each session

Why Board Members Should Attend:

With four streams (pillars) of education, each BIA needs to consider sending more than one person to be able to attend as many sessions as possible.

Board members have a dedicated session where they can network and learn governance best practices.

Conference Justification

Download the Justification Letter Template to help make your case for attending the 2026 BIA Conference

2026 BIA Justification Template Letter to Manager – DOC

2026 BIA Justification Template Letter to Manager – PDF

BIA-Conference-Attendance-Justification-for-Manager – DOC

BIA Conference Attendance Justification for Manager – PDF

Download “Why You Should Attend the BIA Conference” and share it with your board members

Why should you attend the 2020 BIA Conference

Our Current Conference Committee

Amber Pajtasz | Town of Caledon | Conference Chair

Katherine Dodge | St. Catharines Downtown Association | 2026 Conference Host

Salvatore Marchese | City of Sault Ste. Marie

Doug Sams | Kerr Village BIA

Bethea Summers | Pembroke BIA

Sara Porter | Southampton BIA

Nick Crozier | Uptown Saint John BIA

Julianne Kloss | Downtown Strathroy BIA

Stacey Zubczyk | Downtown Barrie BIA

Viveca Gravel | River District BIA

Our Current Host Committee

Katherine Dodge | St. Catharines Downtown Association | 2026 BIA Conference Host

Stephanie Hicks | Downtown Bench Beamsville BIA

Amy Schanbacher | Thorold BIA

Amanda MacDonald | Downtown Grimsby BIA

Julia Ciolfi | City of Welland

Britnie Bazylewski | Niagara Benchlands

Samir Husika | City of St. Catharines

Jeanie McGlynn | Heart of Niagara Hotels

OBIAA Staff Working With The Committee

Rachel Braithwaite | Executive Director

Kennishia Duffus | Event Manager

Erin Douglas | Admin & Membership Manager

Nathan Boateng | Brock U Summer Student – Event Coordinator

A very special thank-you to Ann Barker and Ticketpro for all the amazing work they do with us every year – we truly couldn’t do it without you!

Stay tuned for more information on our 2026 BIA Conference Partners!

2025 Conference Partners

Sponsorship Opportunities

“Well done. Met great people, intelligent dialogue, great services, and excellent meals and accommodation, (sic). I have since written a report about the conference, for our mayor and downtown (sic) BIA. Will share with everyone some of the unique ideas that I witnessed and heard, to keep small and large business working together to serve well, the masses, in so many capacities. Spontaneous round of standing ovation is more uplifting then any other. Congratulations on a job well done.”

“I know the theme of the conference was related to resilience of the main streets and downtowns. But with the storm, it really showed the resilience of your members to show up and support OBIAA. I was worried no one would come and even doubted whether I should make it. But definitely glad you committed to putting on a wonderful conference and kudos to all those members came out in full force. Congrats.”

“You should also know that I made more connections at OBIAA than any other conference I've attended in this job.”

“Hats off to you and the rest of your team! I felt that this year was one of the best conferences I'd attended in recent memory. All of our delegates enjoyed the experience, too!!! I was delighted to see the Municipality there with 2 delegates, and the County supporting it as well. I hope to encourage more to attend next year.”

“I attended all three mobile sessions. I feel that these are an invaluable part of the OBIAA conference – informative, engaging, fun, active, and from the ground up! I loved the networking opportunities and creative ideas they all provided! Thank-you!”

For Additional Information

If you require any further information, please contact OBIAA at 1-866-807-2227 or via email.

[email protected]