A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a geographic area in a municipality, wherein which a BIA Board of Management made up of local business and commercial property owners, elected at the time of Toronto municipal elections and serving on a volunteer basis, has a mandate to promote economical development by enhancing the safety, look and feel of their neighbourhoods to attract more visitors to shop and dine, as well as to draw new businesses to their area. BIAs are created and governed by Provincial and Municipal legislation.
The Queen Street West BIA was established in 2009 and has boundaries at Bathurst St at the West, and Simcoe St to the East, north and south to the commercial laneways.
Every commercial property owner and business tenant is automatically a member of the BIA. In order to fund these business and neighbourhood improvements, the BIAs set and manage budgets which are raised by an additional tax on commercial properties called the annual BIA levy, collected by the City of Toronto together with property tax payments. This money pays for most of the local street festivals and events, as well as streetscape upgrades (beyond the basic city standards), public art, and seasonal and neighbourhood branding.
Board of Directors The Queen Street West BIA volunteer Board of Directors is comprised of 9 elected representatives and 1 City of Toronto Councillor. The volunteer Board of Directors are elected every four years at the Annual General Meeting. Directors must operate a business, represent a business or own a property within the Queen Street West BIA boundary.
Board Members
Shamez Amlani
Arthur Geringas
Elana White
Ian Harris
Ira Band
Jebril Jalloh
Gene Hughes
Board Meeting Dates - please email for meeting details for the virtual events
Wednesday, May 5th @11am (virtually)
Wednesday, June 2nd @11am - location TBD
Wednesday, July 7th @11am - location TBD
Wednesday, August 4th @11am - location TBD
Wednesday, September 1st @11am - location TBD
Wednesday, October 6th @11am - location TBD
Wednesday, November 3rd @11am - location TBD
Wednesday, December 1st @11am - location TBD
Policy and Procedure for Non-Board Members Attending Board Meetings
All of our Board Meetings posted on this website are open to the public.
Guests are required to sign-in upon arrival
Items that wish to be addressed at a meeting MUST be submitted no later than 1 week in advance of the Board Meeting Date. If an item is submitted after the deadline, it will only be addressed if time permits at the meeting under "New Business" which is held at the end of the meeting. Please email agenda items to [email protected]
Guests attending the Board Meetings are observers and do NOT hold any voting authority
Guests will act in a professional and respectful manner or else will be asked to leave