Business Improvement Area (BIA) is an association of commercial property owners and tenants within a defined area who work together with the City of Toronto to create thriving and safe business areas that attract shoppers, diners, tourists, and new businesses. By working collectively as a BIA, local businesses have the organizational and funding capacity for civic improvement; improving the quality of life in their local neighbourhood.

Toronto now has a total of 71 BIAs across this City, representing over 20,000 businesses - the largest number of BIAs in North America. Together, they generate over $10,000,000 in funding towards street and sidewalk beautification, marketing and promotional campaigns, street festivals, clean street campaigns, and crime prevention strategies. BIAs also acts as a unified voice to address issues on behalf of their membership.

The success of Toronto's BIA program can be seen in the growth in the number of BIAs in the last 7 years - increasing from 42 in 2001 to 60 at the end of 2006, with new commercial areas expressing an interest to explore implementing the program in their neighbourhood.

What are the benefits of a BIA?
In order to help local commercial areas create thriving, competitive and safe business areas, the City of Toronto offers a number of assistance programs to BIAS.

One of the more successful programs offered by our BIA Office is the Capital Cost-share Program, which provides matching funding to our BIA partners for streetscape beautification projects. These projects help tame our busy streets and improve the quality of place in our neighbourhoods.

Financial assistance is also provided to BIAs to implement mural projects, community festivals, strategic business plans, and commercial façade improvements.

Toronto BIAs are also members of an umbrella organization called the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA). TABIA encourages and facilitates the exchange of information, experiences, and ideas among BIAs; advocates on behalf of BIAs to influence government policy; helps obtain funding for programs and services for BIAs; and offers discount and savings programs for its members, such as preferred Merchant Visa and MasterCard rates.