A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is an association of commercial business people within a specified geographic district who join together, with official approval of the municipality, to stimulate local business and create a unique local experience. They use their own money to draw more customers to the area by improving its attractiveness and promoting it as a good place to shop, visit and do business. As an agency of the local municipal government, BIAs are mandated to improve, beautify and maintain public lands and buildings with the BIA, beyond that which is provided by the municipality at large.
Watch this video from the Ontario BIA Association to learn more about BIAs. URL: What is a BIA? – YouTube
The Bronte Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a local board of the Town of Oakville dedicated to improving the economic prosperity and quality of life in Bronte Village. We work to create a distinct sense of place, make Bronte walkable, bikeable and liveable, and ensure a hub of high-quality jobs offering unique businesses that service locals.
The Board of Management/Directors of the Bronte BIA includes elected members of the BIA business community and are responsible for creating and managing the annual operating plan. Funds are collected from each business member as a percentage of the taxed assessed value of their property or business. The Town of Oakville does not contribute to this budget directly. The Town acts as the ‘collection agency’ and remits the tax collected to the BIA, provides guidance and support services, and partners on projects to leverage resources.
The Bronte BIA volunteer Board of Directors oversees the overall success of the association. The structure and mandate of the Board are specified in the BIA’s Constitution. The Board has up to nine directors and is elected by the BIA membership. We strive for directors to represent a cross-section of property owners and tenants, business sectors, diverse backgrounds and voices, and varying levels of experience. Board members are elected every four years in conjunction with the Province of Ontario’s election cycle.
Bronte is a place where everyone is welcomed and everything you need can be found.
This vision was a result of a community engagement process called Bronte Forward! in 2021 that heard from residents, business owners and visitors about what we all want Bronte to look, feel, taste and smell like in the next 20 years. Read the results.
Blending past and present, Bronte is transforming itself into an exciting, complete community designed for the future. We aspire to be Oakville’s most sought-after neighbourhood; an intersection of city-life and suburban waterfront living that is a magnet for new businesses, a hub for arts & culture and a vibrant community where businesse, residents and visitors feel a sense of belonging.
We’re excited to share Focus 2026 – our two-year Strategic Plan, which paints a picture of who we are, what we care about, what we aspire to be and the vision, mission and values that will help us get there.
As a local board of the Town of Oakville, we look forward to working with our municipal partners, stakeholders and members to bring our plan to life.
These four Strategic Pillars represent high level priority areas upon which our strategy and action plan are based:
The yearly operating plan is the work or business plan that we hope to achieve specifically this year in a measurable and trackable way. Building on the four focus areas in the Strategic Plan, the goals of the Operating Plan are:
Board meetings take place bi-monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 8am. Contact the Executive Director if you have questions or concerns the Board should be made aware or would like minutes of past meetings.