The Belle River on the Lake Business Improvement Area (BIA) represents a portion of Lakeshore's community of Belle River.
B.I.A. stands for ‘Business Improvement Area'. It is an association comprised of business professionals, within a designated district, who join forces under the approval of the Municipality, in a self-help program purposed at stimulating local trade and commerce.
Technically, under the Municipal Act, a BIA utilizes its own budget and resources in an ongoing effort to:
- Oversee the improvement, beautification and maintenance of municipally-owned land, buildings and structures in the area beyond that provided at the expense of the municipality generally; and
- To promote the area as a business or shopping area. 2001, c. 25, s. 204 (1). Because each business is a member, the BIA's effectiveness is not only reliant on its board of management, but also on its members' active interest and participation.
Once a BIA is approved by the Municipality, every business within its boundaries automatically becomes a member. The main principle being that all businesses who benefit from BIA activities should also partake in their fair share of the cost of the program.
Although a BIA is born out of the retail and professional activities of a main street, it has a profound effect on the surrounding region. If it is alive and well, it becomes the centre for social and community interaction. It has been said that no one person is an island. In a smaller community – the same thing can be said about business. We need each other! Our region must do more to keep our building a full, our consumers intrigued and our businesses prosperous.
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