Shocking activity by city council members and staff

 

The blog wanted to highlight a particularity worrisome point brought out publicly by the  Toronto Public Space  (TPSI) group in their report on unprecedented policies that will allow the city to sell off the names of public spaces and bring in aggressive advertising into them, including parks and playgrounds. (see this post - its below this one)

Yet they are bringing local business Improvement associations (BIA's) into the decision-making and planning activities about these changes. That is right, the local retail store owners across the city are being consulted and allowed into the fold to decide how local parks are named and what advertising will go into them, Yes, big advertisers are involved too and their ads in parks and parkettes are probably not welcome also. But residents and community groups such as residents associations are not part of the consultation process.

"the inclusion of BIAs in a consultation process to the exclusion of all other stakeholders" [1. Toronto Public Space  (TPSI)]

Simply,  1st importance of the what the parks are to the community of people who use them is being removed from the people.

Hopefully the ethical BIA's in Toronto with see the folly of of being associated with this. BIA's are structured and created to improve retail streets and businesses within their areas.

 

Business Improvement Areas expenditure requests and levy for 2009

[caption id="attachment_1774" align="alignnone" width="444" caption="BIA approved budgets"][/caption]

Council approval is required to permit the City to collect funds through the tax levy on behalf of the local BIAs. Approval is goverened under The City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

This blogs past post on What is a Business Improvement Area?

Selected Comments from the cities report with some highlights.

The Bloor West Village BIA 2009 Operating Budget was approved at meetings of the
BIA’s Board of Management on September 17, 2008 and its general membership held on
October 7, 2008. The balanced budget of $386,665 in capital and operating expenditures
will be funded by a levy requirement of $338,851 and the appeal provision surplus of
$38,814, plus other anticipated revenues of $9,000 from festival events, GST recovery
and interest. The 2009 expenditure budget provides for a similar level of general BIA
administration, maintenance and promotion/advertising activities as budgeted in 2008. A
proposed increase in capital expenditure in 2009 is required to complete the gas lamp solar
conversion capital project. Blog Comment {interesting and thoughtful project in many ways} In 2008, the BIA had to reduce spending in BIA
administration, capital projects, advertising and promotion, so that current funds can be
used to cover the 2007 operating deficit. It is recommended that the Bloor West Village
BIA’s 2009 budget of expenditures totalling $386,665 and a BIA levy of $338,851 be
approved.

The Corso Italia BIA 2009 Operating Budget was approved at meetings of the BIA’s
Board of Management on August 11, 2008 and its general membership on October 6,
2008. The BIA proposes to increase the levy by 30% to $214,951 in 2009 after reducing
Staff report for action on 2009 BIA Operating Budgets 7
the levy by 20% in 2008 to assist the local merchants through the TTC construction
period. With its accumulated surplus funds used up in 2008, the BIA has to rely on new
levies to fund operating expenditures in 2009. Other revenue sources include the appeal
provision surplus of $15,741, expected GST recoveries of $10,000 and other income of
$259. To offset the negative impact that the TTC right-of-way and roadwork
construction along St. Clair Avenue has on the area, the BIA will increase advertising and
promotion of the area; the BIA expects a grant of $30,000 from the City’s “Shop Local”
campaign on St. Clair Avenue West to assist in this endeavour. The BIA proposes to
maintain the same spending level as in 2008 for BIA administration, promotion and
advertising, and capital maintenance. Capital projects planned for 2009 include new BIA
banners and flower planters. The pedestrian lights capital cost-share project is expected to
be completed by the end of 2008. It is recommended that the Corso Italia BIA’s 2009
budget of expenditures totalling $270,951 and a BIA levy of $214,951 be approved.

The Junction Gardens BIA was called to action in their management report for errors and was recommended to hire a part time bookkeeper or train their coordinator


The Junction Gardens BIA 2009 Operating Budget was approved at meetings of the
BIA’s Board of Management on September 9, 2008 and its general membership held on
October 2, 2008. The balanced budget of $282,123 in expenditures will require a levy
requirement of $259,904. In addition to the BIA levy, other revenues include the appeal
provision surplus of $21,969 that the City will be returning to the BIA, and interest
income of $250. Now that the 2008 centennial celebrations of the Junction are over, the
BIA proposes a 27% reduction in the expenditure budget in 2009 Blog Comment {why is the BIA in a developing area  reducing the levy by 27 percent? All it does is lessen the amount  the business owners can use for  joint development and marketing ?}, comprised of a reduced budget of $128,245 for marketing and promotional initiatives, fewer capital maintenance activities requiring a budget of only $27,000, and undertaking three small capital projects
totalling $15,000 as a trial to see which one the BIA will choose to do on a larger scale in
2010. It is recommended that the Junction Gardens BIA’s 2009 budget of expenditures
totaling (sic)$282,123 and a BIA levy of $259,904 be approved.

The Parkdale Village BIA 2009 Operating Budget was approved at meetings of the
BIA’s Board of Management on September 8, 2008 and its general membership held on
October 6, 2008. The balanced budget of expenditures totalling $546,410 calls for a
similar levy requirement as in 2008. In addition to the levy, the BIA expects to receive
grants totalling $15,000 from the City’s Commercial Research Investment Program and
Mural Program, $9,000 in interest income, and an appeal provision surplus of $13,068
that the City is returning to the BIA. A major capital cost-share project for pedestrian
lights, deferred from 2008, will be undertaken in 2009 with $300,000 of BIA funds
already accumulated for this purpose. Besides capital spending for pedestrian lights and a mural, the BIA proposes to increase the maintenance budget by $24,000 for a new graffiti
removal program, and increase advertising and promotion in 2009. The BIA is projecting
an operating surplus of $65,799 in 2008 resulting from the deferral of the pedestrian
lights capital project and development of a Strategic Plan. As well, some 2008 proposed
promotional initiatives were deferred until 2009. It is recommended that the Parkdale
Village BIA’s 2009 budget of expenditures totalling $546,410 and a BIA levy of
$209,342 be approved.

The entire long list can be viewed in this report [Full report [opens in new window]

Posted by Robert

What is a Business Improvement Area?

photo credit: srossi

Helping things to bloom in Bloor West Village

The BIA concept began in Toronto. The first BIA - and still one of the most successful - was Bloor West Village, established in 1970. Toronto now has Toronto has 64 BIAs.  Most BIA's are composed of strip high street retailers providing a great basket of services, retailers who have little in common with chain stores.  Looking at the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas web site, ...the association of Toronto BIA's. maybe their union? …you can see the vast array of events and efforts they put forth. All this effort is in aid of business success -  in sales, but most often their efforts contribute towards a community. Yet many residents in a lot of Toronto communities neither know little, nor care about their local BIA. While researching this post, it interestingly became apparent that the Bloor West Village BIA (the 1st one and one of the most successful) seemed to have a high connection to the residence community.

More info about BIA's in Toronto and what everyone wants to know, where does their money come from...

City text...

Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) are geographic zones that are established to
promote designated areas as business or shopping locales. BIAs may undertake projects
to improve, beautify and maintain City-owned land or structures within the boundaries of
the BIA, and thus provide benefits to the member property owners and businesses, as
well as adjacent residential neighbourhoods. BIAs are governed by a Board of
Management and established by by-law. The operations of a BIA are funded through an
annual levy, which is billed and collected in a similar manner to property taxes, on all
commercial and industrial property owners (i.e. business properties) within the BIA.

What is the average annual levy of a Toronto BIA member?

Every business member is charged a share of the annual budget, based on that member's share of the BIA's total commercial realty assessment.

For example: If a business's commercial realty assessment is 6,000, the total commercial realty assessment of all businesses in the BIA is 2,000,000, and the BIA's annual budget is $100,000, then that business's BIA levy is:

6,000 X $100,000	= $300 average amount a business pays as a BIA levy
2,000,000

Data TABIA (see link below)

Assessment Appeal Provision for Business
Improvement Areas staff action report [opens in new window]

TABIA Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas web site [opens in new window]