A Business Improvement Area (BIA.) is a municipally desginated area in which all of the businesses located within the BIA are automatically deemed to be members. The very first BIA was created in the city of Toronto, which now has 65 BIAs within its boundaries, and the model has been seen as an example of how small businesses and municipal governments can work together for each other's benefit.
The function of a BIA is simply to promote the BIA and beautify the BIA.
The geographical area of a BIA is determined by the Municipality, in our case the Town of Markham, and is governeed by the Province of Ontario's Municipal Act. In the case of the Markham Village BIA, the BIA starts at Highway 7 north to just above 144 Main St. N and includes the side streets (Centre St., Robinson St., and the west side of Washington St.). Every building owner within this designated area pays a special tax levy which is determined by their property assessment, which is used to fund all of the activities of the BIA. The BIA is managed by a volunteer Board of Management comprised of BIA members (owners and/or renters)
Click here for more information about the Markham Village BIA, bylaws and board of management meetings
The Markham Village B.I.A. currently has approximately 160 members. These include
all the retail stores as well as all the businesses on Markham Main Street and side streets.
Locate your business on Main Street Markham
Ontario BIA Association
For more information, contact us.
