Report establishes a baseline of the economic and social contribution of Business Improvement Areas
to Ontario’s communities.
Toronto, April 3, 2017 — The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA), who together represent over 300 of Ontario’s Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), today announced the release of the Return ON Investment of BIAs Report.
The report is the result of a year-long project, funded with the support of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, that assessed the success factors of a BIA and its contribution to the community and then determined the indicators, metrics and data sources needed to establish a benchmark. Factors include economic contribution, social impact and cultural support.
“Our goal was to provide the over 310 BIAs across Ontario with the understanding they need to manage and grow their capacity to be vital partners to their members, to their communities and to their municipalities,” said Kay Matthews, OBIAA’s Executive Director. “We believe that this report is a must-read for every BIA and every municipality in the province.”
The project and subsequent report are both grounded in the statement that:
A BIA is integral to advancing a
distinct, livable, vibrant and resilient
business district within their
local community.
The report sets down a baseline of metrics for a group of 30 indicators that will be measured over time to understand how BIAs advance those values over time compared to other BIAs and other non-BIA areas within communities and municipalities.
The Return ON Investment of BIAs Report is being officially launched at the National BIA Conference on April 3, 2017.
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About OBIAA
OBIAA is the network that represents unique and vibrant BIAs across Ontario. The Association, incorporated in 200, supports and advocates on behalf of its members through the building and nurturing of strong relationships and partnerships. OBIAA is a leader in the development and sharing of information, tools, resources and best practices, and is the ONE voice on common issues. www.obiaa.com
About TABIA
TABIA is a non-profit umbrella organization representing the City of Toronto’s 82 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) who in turn represent over 40,000 small businesses and property owners. BIAs are responsible for the development of their commercial neighbourhoods and are a diverse and vibrant collection of ethnic, historic and business locations, combining to make Toronto a veritable City of Neighbourhoods. www.toronto-bia.com
For more information, please contact:
Kay Matthews
Executive Director
OBIAA
[email protected]
Sarah Millar
Project Manager
FOTENN Planning + Design
[email protected]
