2026 BIA CONFERENCE AWARDS
In Full Bloom
Beamsville, ON – BIAs invest in, partner with, and celebrate their community for the betterment of the community. BIAs, through the Ontario Municipal Act, are mandated with the betterment of the public realm for the collective good – to make the area a better place to work, live and play. In order to do this work, each BIA raises an additional levy on the commercial property owners in their area to raise the necessary funds. OBIAA, in order to celebrate the work and accomplishments of our BIAs, and their partners, invites submissions. The Award winning are presented with their Awards at the annual Awards evening.
The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) proudly hosted the 2026 BIA Awards Gala on Monday, April 20, 2026, celebrating the remarkable achievements of Ontario’s Business Improvement Areas (BIAs). This year’s theme, In Full Bloom, reflects the dynamic role that Ontario’s BIAs play in nurturing resilient, inclusive, and economically vibrant downtowns through the purposeful leadership and collective efforts of BIAs, their members, and their communities.
With a record-breaking 66 submissions, the 2026 BIA Awards honored BIAs that demonstrated excellence in revitalizing and strengthening their local economies. Judged under OBIAA’s key pillars of downtown revitalization, Advocacy & Governance; Operations; Business Retention, Recruitment & Expansion; Economic Resilience & Community Building; Special Events; Marketing; Communications; and Streetscaping & Public Realm Improvements, the award winners set new benchmarks for innovation and community impact on their Main Streets.
“On behalf of Ontario BIA Association Board, I am proud to recognize and congratulate this year’s award recipients. Your commitment, leadership, and passion continue to strengthen and elevate Main Streets across Ontario,” says Stephanie Hicks, President of the Ontario BIA Association.
OBIAA would like to congratulate all the recipients for 2026 and thank all the communities who submitted their work.
The 2026 BIA Awards Gala was held on Monday, April 20, 2026 at the Holiday Inn & Suites St. Catharines as a part of the annual BIA Conference. This Conference was made possible with special thanks to our generous sponsors.
OBIAA is proud to present the recipients of the 2026 BIA Awards – they are:
