Welcome!

In response to requests from local Queen Street East businesses and residents, Councillor Chris Moise is excited to spearhead and support the revitalization of the Historic Queen East Business Improvement Area.

Old Queen Street East, nestled between Victoria Street and River Street, is not just a prime location to live, work and engage, but a testament to our city’s rich past with its beautiful architecture dating back to the 19th century. This vibrant, multicultural area is also experiencing a resurgence of new restaurants and boutiques that would be served well by a BIA that advocates for their interests.

This website will serve as a central point for information and updates on the progress of the revitalization of the Historic Queen East BIA.

What is a BIA?

A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a “made-in-Toronto” innovation that allows local business and commercial property owners to join together within a defined area and work in partnership with the City to create thriving, competitive, 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 to be catalysts for civic improvement, enhancing the quality of life in their local neighbourhood and the city.

In 1970, responding to a request by a Toronto business association, Ontario passed enabling legislation to create the world’s first Business Improvement Area (BIA) in Bloor West Village. Since the creation of this first BIA, many more have been established with more than 270 BIAs now in Ontario.

The BIA concept is now global, adopted by more than 500 communities across Canada, 2000 throughout the United States, and thousands more around the world including Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Toronto now has over 80 BIAs across the City — the largest number of BIAs of any urban centre in the world — representing 45,000 members.

Together, they generate more than $34 million in funding towards street and sidewalk beautification, marketing and promotional campaigns, street festivals, clean street/graffiti removal campaigns, and crime prevention strategies. BIAs, like resident associations, also act as a unified voice to address issues on behalf of their membership.