Pleace marketing with the business improvement areas approach: Case study, toronto get to know your neighbor project

Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) have been adopted by many municipalities as a new, yet controversial model of urban revitalization. In Canada, BIAs are created by a group of property and business owners, who agree to pay a collective fee (levy) that can be directed towards improving the pedestrian experience and increasing neighbourhood sales. Common BIA services include street maintenance, beautification, safety, development and promotion of the commercial district. BIAs are territorial in nature and provide services only to those within the delineated boundaries of the district. In contrast, non-BIA organizations rely on municipal governments for the provision of these services.The concept of BIAs originated in 1970. A group of business people in Toronto were concerned about the erosion of their marketplace caused by the growing popularity of shopping mall, plus an extended subway system, both of which were drawing shoppers away from their traditional shopping areas.The success of the first BIA, Bloor West Village, ensured that other retail districts followed this model and became BIAs themselves. Today, there are over 70 BIAs in the City of Toronto, and approximately over 250 in the Province of Ontario. The BIA concept is emulated throughout Canada, the United States and other countries.To be able to coordinate the efforts of the city's growing number of BIAs, The Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) was formed and its main purpose is to promote strong, successful and effective BIAs in the City of Toronto by using place marketing strategies.Base of the research is qualitative method by academic document reviewing and the purpose is to assess the role of BIAs in promoting downtown vitality and to examine the ?Get To Know Your Neighbor Project - Think Big Buy Local Campaign of The Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA).