Business Improvement Associations

See how Surrey's business improvement associations help promote their communities.

A Business Improvement Association (BIA) represents a business area of the City that is specially funded to assist businesses and property owners in financing effective marketing, promotional and revitalization programs.

A BIA provides both the organized structures and the source of funds to enable business areas to improve their commercial viability.

Each BIA is run by an association of property owners and business tenants whose goal is to promote and improve their business areas. A BIA provides both the structure and resources to enable local business areas to improve their commercial viability.

Benefits of BIAs

For property owners and tenants, a BIA is an effective way to organize and finance initiatives that would not be available to individual businesses by any other means. A BIA helps local businesses create a thriving, competitive and safe business area.

For the City, a BIA provides a highly motivated group within the community with the means to improve their businesses and stimulate the local economy.

BIA funding

Once the budget is approved by the BIA members and ratified by City Council, funds are raised through an annual levy on all commercial and industrial properties within the designated BIA's boundary. Calculation of this levy is based on the value of each property's commercial and/or industrial assessment. The levy is collected by the City and then the funds are passed on to the BIA Association to manage and fund initiatives.