Tis the Season for L.E.D. Lights As the Holiday Season Approaches: Let Us Think About Those Less Fortunate, the Impoverished and the Homeless

Home , Gerrard India Bazaar, Lights (musician), Pape Village

Winter 2008 | Volume 8, Number 2

Tis the Season for L.E.D. Lights As the Holiday Season approaches: Let us think about those less fortunate, the impoverished and the homeless. This year the City of Toronto has taken steps to reduce poverty on the streets of Toronto - The following article talks to this issue Toronto’s New Approach To Addressing Panhandling & Homelessness

Much has changed since May 2007 when BIAs were at the City’ s Executive Committee expressing frustration that not enough was being done on the issue of panhandling.

Much has happened behind the scenes in the last year and a half. The City, social service agencies and the business community have collectively educated themselves. There is now a much better understanding of why people are panhandling, the concerns of businesses, and the various approaches for dealing with it. Don’t miss an opportunity to save money while This fall the City of Toronto started a bold initiative to improve the quality of life in greening your business! Toronto and to be leaders in addressing urban poverty.

greenTbiz would like to invite September 2008 was the start of a significantoutreach service that will serve BIAs BIAs and BIA members to well. Dozens of trained professionals are now connecting those in need with housing participate in our programs! and services. This includes supports for addressing addictions, mental health and employment. It’s an approach that understands that people are on the streets for details on page 8 various reasons. Daily shifts are provided downtown and mobilized services are provided outside of the city centre. … continues on page 3

Special Savings for Toronto BIA Members and Boards See inside for details...

The opinions expressed within are those of the writer or editor and do not necessarily reflect those of the TABIA Board. TABIA’s Board Message from the President Elected April 29, 2008 at the Here we grow again, there are three new BIAs just certified by the City of Toronto. TABIA Annual General Meeting • Crossroads of the Danforth BIA President: • Mount Pleasant BIA John Wakulat, Roncesvalles Village • Oakwood BIA Past-President: Alex Ling, Bloor West Village We now have 68 BIAs and serve well over 27,000 businesses. Secretary: We are coming to the end of our Cavalcade Paul Dineen, Old Cabbagetown of Lights, Lighting Exchange program. And, Treasurer: once again we have given out hundreds of LED Don’t forget to send your Jack Korman, Riverside District light sets in exchange for incandescent lights. favourite photos and Vice-Presidents: captions to the TABIA office There is a lot going on in the BIA/TABIA Michael Comstock, St. Lawrence Market for our website Neighbourhood Community. We continue to pursue Property Lionel Miskin, Kennedy Road Tax Issues and concerns on behalf of property and business owners in our community. Directors: Christena Chruszez, Bloor-Yorkville Rogers Media have been on site as a sponsor of a number of BIA AGM events which Harbhajan Dhillon, Emery Village appears to have been a huge success. They are also going door to door in the Beverly Don, Yonge Lawrence Village community providing information and savings on a number of services available to Jacques Jones, Bloorcourt Village BIA members. Don Panos, St. Clair Gardens Carl Porritt, Long Branch Our Job Creation Participants have been active in the BIAs over the summer doing Henny Varga, The Kingsway Asset Audits, creating a database of the BIAs assets for both insurance purposes Directors (BIA staff): and for recording what the BIA had prior to the roll out of the Astral/City of Toronto Faiza Ansari, Pape Village & Eglinton Way street furniture. Lynn Clay, Liberty Village Deborah Etsten, The Beach They have been creating PowerPoint presentations for presenting to the BIA. Their Jeff Gillan, Corso Italia presentations are available to the BIA to download to their computer for an ongoing Grace Russo, Little Italy record of the BIA’s assets. Executive Director: Contact the TABIA office to have your BIA done. John Kiru Administrator: We at TABIA would like to wish everyone the Very Best of the Holiday Season. Patricia McCartie Have a safe and happy holiday. In this issue John Wakulat Toronto’s New Approach to Addressing 68 and counting in ‘08 Panhandling and Homelessness 1 TABIA’s Board 2 Toronto BIAs reach 68! Message from the President 2 With well over 27,000 68 and Counting in ‘08! 2 TABIA welcomes three new BIA s businesses and property We Need Those Tax Bills! 3 owners now under the • Crossroads of the Danforth Safe Streets Act 4 TABIA umbrella 2009 Business Improvement Areas • Mount Pleasant National Conference 6 Accessibility Standards 8 • Oakwood greenTbiz 8 68 New Design for Street Name Signs 9 Updates and corrections to BIA Listings OBIAA/TABIA Awards 9 Garage Sale 9 • Midtown Danforth has changed their name to Danforth Mosaic to reflect the Lighting Exchange Event Listings 10 diverse community that they serve. Economic Development • Korea Town have moved they are now located at 670 Bloor St. West, Unit Community Support Program 11 205, Toronto, ON M6L 1L2 Exclusive Offers for BIA Members 11

2 Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas WE NEED THOSE TAX BILLS!

When we are contacted by the media, they invariably ask that we provide them with concrete examples of the tax burden which our membership is bearing. The media love the personal interest aspect of these issues i.e. how does current tax policy impact on specific … continued from page 1 individuals. To respond to these requests, we need copies of the new A central phone number is another key aspect of the initiative. Currently the public (2008) assessment notices which and businesses are poorly equipped to respond to issues surrounding streetinvolved were mailed out in October . We people. Our businesses are currently on the front-line and don’t know what to do also need copies of your 2008 final constructively. We need a phone number to call for assistance and to know that property tax bills. there will be a reliable response. Downtown BIAs continue to advocate for this phone service and we are hopeful that the City will implement it this fall. Your cooperation is essential to the effectiveness of our efforts. We would encourage other BIAs to consider playing a constructive role in addressing Please bring this request to the poverty in your community. Downtown Yonge B.I.A. brings to the table a creative attention of your Board and your advertising agency that can develop a public education campaign. This could be business colleagues, and press focused on promoting the new service and how the public can give in a constructive your directors to seek out copies way. Further, we are prepared to share what we have learned from BIAs in other of assessment notices and tax bills cities. Many BIA’s for example, hire former street-involved people on their Clean from your members, and send them Streets Teams. Further to this, we can share the successes of diversion courts as to us. Please note that we need used in other cities. Some BIAs provide court sentencing opportunities through B.I.A. copies of the final tax bills (not the community service initiatives. interim bills) along with the name and telephone number of the On a personal note, it has been 11 years since I worked on the revitalization of property owner. downtown Toronto. Never before have I seen the City prepared to seriously address the issue of panhandling as it is today. I used to attend conferences to learn about Please have your members sign the what other cities are doing to address urban poverty. In the last couple of years, attached authorization so that we conference speakers, have been citing Toronto as a leader in the housing-first can use their information. approach. This outreach approach is a good investment that will truly put Toronto When you get the assessment in the forefront of progressive cities. Like the green agenda that is now becoming notices and signed authorizations mainstream, Toronto is beginning to understand that addressing issues of urban please let us know and we will have poverty makes sense for everyone. As we all know the social health of our city is them picked up from your BIA office. inherently linked to our economic health.

Residents, customers, and employees will be pleased to know that help is now in Please fax or email them place for people who are less fortunate than ourselves. We are hopeful that with the to TABIA office. City ’ s initiative Toronto will prove that it can and will take care of its own. Fax: 416-263-3125 email to: [email protected] For additional information, visit: www.toronto.ca/housing/newsitem For further information, James L. Robinson, Executive Director, Downtown Yonge B.I.A., or to share suggestions [email protected] with the TABIA Tax Committee please contact: James Robinson has been actively improving the vitality and competitiveness of Toronto’s main streets for over 11 years. He previously served as Streetscape Lionel Miskin Coordinator of the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area. In 2000, James was Chair, TABIA Tax Committee hired to form the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area and has served as Executive Director since 2001. He is an active member of TABIA and a newly elected E mail: [email protected] board member of the International Downtown Association.

www.toronto-bia.com 3 Safe Streets Act Know the Laws Protecting You And Your Customers

Safe Streets Act, 1999 Definitions S.O. 1999, CHAPTER 8 3. (1) In this section, Amended by: 2002, c. 17, Sched. F, Table. “public transit vehicle” means a vehicle operated by, for or on behalf of the Government of Ontario, a municipality in Definition Ontario or a transit commission or authority in Ontario, as 1. In sections 2 and 3, part of a regular passenger transportation service; “solicit” means to request, in person, the immediate “roadway” has the same meaning as in the Highway Traffic provision of money or another thing of value, regardless of Act; whether consideration “vehicle” includes automobile, motorcycle, van, truck, trailer, is offered or provided in return, using the spoken, written or bus, mobile home, traction engine, farm tractor, road- printed word, a gesture or other means. 1999, c. 8, s. 1. building machine, bicycle, motor-assisted bicycle, motorized Definition snow vehicle, streetcar and any other vehicle drawn, propelled or driven by any kind of power, including muscular 2. (1) In this section, power. 1999, c. 8, s. 3 (1); 2002, c. 17, Sched. F, Table. “aggressive manner” means a manner that is likely to cause Solicitation of captive audience prohibited a reasonable person to be concerned for his or her safety or security. 1999, c. 8, s. 2 (1). (2) No person shall, Solicitation in aggressive manner prohibited (a) solicit a person who is using, waiting to use, or departing from an automated teller machine; (2) No person shall solicit in an aggressive manner. 1999, c. 8, s. 2 (2). (b) solicit a person who is using or waiting to use a pay telephone or a public toilet facility; Examples (c) solicit a person who is waiting at a taxi stand or a public (3) Without limiting subsection (1) or (2), a person who transit stop; engages in one or more of the following activities shall be deemed to be soliciting in an aggressive manner for the (d) solicit a person who is in or on a public transit vehicle; purpose of this section: (e) solicit a person who is in the process of getting in, out of, 1. Threatening the person solicited with physical harm, by on or off a vehicle or who is in a parking lot; or word, gesture or other means, during the solicitation or (f) while on a roadway, solicit a person who is in or on a after the person solicited responds or fails to respond to stopped, standing or parked vehicle. 1999, c. 8, s. 3 (2). the solicitation. Definition 2. Obstructing the path of the person solicited during the 4. (1) In this section,“outdoor public place” means, solicitation or after the person solicited responds or fails to respond to the solicitation. (a) a place outdoors to which the public is ordinarily invited or permitted access and, for greater certainty, includes 3. Using abusive language during the solicitation or after but is not limited to a sidewalk, street, parking lot, the person solicited responds or fails to respond to the swimming pool, beach, conservation area, park and solicitation. playground, and 4. Proceeding behind, alongside or ahead of the person (b) school grounds. 1999, c. 8, s. 4 (1). solicited during the solicitation or after the person solicited responds or fails to respond to the solicitation. Disposal of certain dangerous things prohibited 5. Soliciting while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. (2) No person shall dispose of any of the following things in an outdoor public place: 6. Continuing to solicit a person in a persistent manner after the person has responded negatively to the solicitation. 1. A used condom. 1999, c. 8, s. 2 (3). 2. A new or used hypodermic needle or syringe. 3. Broken glass. 1999, c. 8, s. 4 (2).

4 Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas Defence CHAPTER 32 AN ACT TO AMEND THE (3) It is a defence to a charge under subsection (2) for the SAFE STREETS ACT, 1999 person who disposed of the condom, the needle or AND THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT syringe or the broken glass to establish that he or she TO RECOGNIZE THE FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES took reasonable precautions to dispose of it in a manner OF REGISTERED CHARITIES that would not endanger the health or safety of any person. 1999, c. 8, s. 4 (3). Assented to December 15, 2005 Offence Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as 5. (1) Every person who contravenes section 2, 3 or 4 is follows: guilty of an offence and is liable, 1. Section 3 of the Safe Streets Act, 1999, as (a) on a first conviction, to a fine of not more than $500; and amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 2002, chapter (b) on each subsequent conviction, to a fine of not more than 17, Schedule F, Table, is amended by adding the $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than following subsection: six months, or to both. 1999, c. 8, s. 5 (1). Permitted fund-raising by charities Subsequent conviction (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to fund-raising activities (2) For the purpose of determining the penalty to which a that meet the following conditions: person is liable under subsection (1), 1. They are conducted by a charitable organization (a) a conviction of the person of a contravention of section registered under the Income Tax Act (Canada) on a 2 is a subsequent conviction only if the person has roadway where the maximum speed limit is 50 kilometres previously been convicted of a contravention of section 2 per hour. or 3; 2. They are permitted by a by-law of the municipality in which (b) a conviction of the person of a contravention of section the activities are conducted. 3 is a subsequent conviction only if the person has 2. Section 177 of the Highway Traffic Act, as re-enacted previously been convicted of a contravention of section 2 by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 8, section or 3; and 7, is amended by adding the following subsection: (c) a conviction of the person of a contravention of section Permitted fund-raising by charities 4 is a subsequent conviction only if the person has previously been convicted of a contravention of section (3.1) Subsection (2) does not apply to fund-raising activities 4. 1999, c. 8, s. 5 (2). that meet the following conditions: Arrest without warrant 1. They are conducted by a charitable organization registered under the Income Tax Act (Canada) on a 6. A police officer who believes on reasonable and probable roadway where the maximum speed limit is 50 kilometres grounds that a person has contravened section 2, 3 or 4 per hour. may arrest the person without warrant if, 2. They are permitted by a by-law of the municipality in which (a) before the alleged contravention of section 2, 3 or 4, the activities are conducted. the police officer directed the person not to engage in activity that contravenes that section; or Commencement (b) the police officer believes on reasonable and probable 3. This Act comes into force on the day it receives grounds that it is necessary to arrest the person without Royal Assent. warrant in order to establish the identity of the person or Short title to prevent the person from continuing or repeating the contravention. 1999, c. 8, s. 6. 4. The short title of this Act is the Safe Streets Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005. 7. Omitted (amends or repeals other Acts). 1999, c. 8, s. 7. 8. Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Act). 1999, c. 8, s. 8. Note* For a complete version of the Safe Streets Act and all amendments please visit http://www.gov.on.ca 9. Omitted (enacts short title of this Act). 1999, c. 8, s. 9.

www.toronto-bia.com 5 Join OBIAA and TABIA

in Toronto Business Improvement Areas continue to be leaders in cooperative efforts to successfully rejuvenate large and small business districts. March 29-31, They are improving economic conditions, developing attractive physical environments and instilling a sense of civic pride not only within their own boundaries 2009 – but throughout entire communities. at the Note the date and reserve money in your budget for this engaging conference - Delta Chelsea be prepared to be informed, to be entertained and most of all, to be inspired! for what promises THIS EVENT IS A MUST-ATTEND FOR: to be a • BIA Staff, Managers and Board Members • Business and Property Owners • thought • Elected Officials and Municipal Staff • Urban and Regional Planners • provoking • Developers and Capital Investors • Economic Development Professionals • and exciting • Arts, Culture and Entertainment Industry Representatives • conference, • Streetscape Enhancement Experts and Wholesalers • not to be • Students of Planning, Economic Development, Business, Tourism •

missed. An exciting program is planned focusing on keynote speakers and seminar topics that will give you relevant information to apply in your own municipality. This is an excellent opportunity to network and learn from others’ successes. This conference will also give 2009 delegates opportunities to experience downtown revitalization first hand through mobile workshops and social events throughout Toronto.

Join us on March 29 – 31, 2008 at the Delta Chelsea, Toronto, Ontario… in the Heart of the Vibrant Downtown Yonge BIA.

6 Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas CONFERENCE REGISTRATION RATES:

TYPES OF

The session line-up is shaping up to include: REGISTRATION OBIAA/TABIA MEMBER NON-MEMBER STUDENT

• Greening at Events, Implications and Considerations EARLY BIRD • Keynote Address – Donovan Rypkema, Principal of PlaceEconomics, Washington Full Registration $325 $399 $200 D.C. – Dynamic, engaging and one of North America’s foremost experts on community revitalization Full – Group Rate • Provincial Ministers’ Forum, Current Initiatives and Progress Updates (per person)* $299 n/a

• Concept and Processes of Municipal Cultural Planning Daily $199 $295 $125 • Mobiles to Emery Village, Liberty Village and more Daily – Group Rate • BIA Legislation, Opportunities and imitations (per person)* $180 n/a • Valuable Tools & Tips from Barbara Crowhurst, Renowned Retail Makeover Specialist REGULAR • Public art, defining communities and part of its history Full Registration $400 $475 $225

• Challenges and Unique Character of Non-traditional BIAs Daily Registration $275 $370 $150 • Proactive Crisis Planning • Electronic branding and marketing layered media

Reserve your room at the Delta Chelsea now by calling 1.800.CHELSEA (1.800.243.5732) or online at www.deltachelsea.com/grsmmsb.

Be sure to indicate you are with the 2009 BIA Conference and call prior to February 27, 2009 to take advantage of our special group rate starting at $125 per night.

Join us on March 29 – 31, 2008 at the Delta Chelsea, Toronto, Ontario… in the Heart of the Vibrant Downtown Yonge BIA.

www.toronto-bia.com 7 Don’t Miss an Opportunity to Save Money Accessibility Standards: It’s the Law. While Greening Your Business!

The “Accessibility for Ontarians greenTbiz would like to invite all BIA members to with Disabilities Act” (AODA) is new participate in our free programs! legislation that applies to hundreds of thousands of businesses in Ontario, greenTbiz was developed by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement as well as to community groups and Areas (TABIA) to deliver programs that result in economically and environmentally public services. The AODA aims to favourable outcomes for Toronto BIAs and their members. remove many of the barriers people experience in public and commercial Winter is just around the corner so prevent the areas by developing, implementing winter blues by reducing your energy bills! and enforcing accessibility standards Here are some tips to help reduce heating bills and conserve energy: concerning goods, services, accommodation, facilities, buildings • Set your thermostat at about 21°C during winter months. Your energy use and and employment. Improvements will heating costs rise about 5% for every degree above this. be phased in, in stages of five years or less, moving towards a totally • Install a programmable thermostat with a built-in timer that will automatically lower accessible Ontario in 20 years. temperature in your business when it is closed. • Open blinds on south-facing windows during the day to heat your workspace. At The government has established night, keep the blinds closed to reduce the chill and heat loss. two standards development • Caulk, seal, and weather-strip windows, doors, and cracks to prevent heat loss. committees to develop proposed new accessibility standards in the areas of • Use reversible ceiling fans to push warm air down in the winter. transportation and customer service. • Clean or replace air filters on your furnace regularly to improve efficiency. TABIA, through Douglas Jure, Are you still looking for a lighting replacement for your inefficient lighting where represents the local small business CFLs just won’t do? You might want to consider retrofitting with LED lighting (Light community on the 26 member Emitting Diode). Recent developments in LED technology have expanded its use to Customer Service Standards the fields of transportation and commercial sectors. LED is more energy efficient Development Committee. than standard incandescent, halogen, or fluorescent lighting, has a longer rated-life, Issues addressed by accessibility does not generate heat, provides increased brightness, requires less maintenance, standards may include: and is mercury free. LED is available in a variety of types and colours. If you are interested in learning more about quality LED products and how you can employ • Accessible pedestrian routes and this technology in your business, please contact greenTbiz for a free consultation. entrances into buildings. • Lower counter heights at cash Interested in a free consultation to find out how you can save money in your registers to accommodate business? Contact us, we are here to help! greenTbiz staff will come to your wheelchairs. business, listen to your concerns and suggest energy saving options that will also • Large print menus in restaurants for save you money. greenTbiz focuses on energy efficient lighting, as it is the best people with a vision loss. investment for you, but will investigate any other areas where you may have energy • Staff training for serving customers and environmental concerns. with intellectual disabilities. For more information or to set up your free business consultation please contact Anna Mae Dominguez (greenTbiz Program Coordinator) at [email protected] or 416-697-9000.

Additional information can be found at the greenTbiz website: www.greentbiz.org. Here you may view Smart Mentor video clips which demonstrate the positive energy saving changes that business owners across Toronto have been making through the For more information on the AODA greenTbiz program. www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/ pillars/accessibilityOntario greenTbiz is looking forward to helping you save energy and money!

8 Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas OBIAA/TABIA AWARDS

Start thinking of your submission to the OBIAA/ TABIA Awards Program and visit www.obiaa. com for a complete list of categories or call 1.866.807.2227 for more information. The awards will recognize the best that Business Improvement Association management have to offer in the areas of marketing, revitalization, arts and culture, development, and environmental awareness. Last year’s submissions were superb and certainly set the standard for what we can only expect to be an outstanding second year! New design Some of the OBIAA Awards 2008 went to our own Alex Ling (pictured above) for street name Green Award ‘Solar Powered LED Lighting Bloor West Village BIA Green Initiative signs Founders Award - Alex Ling, Bloor West Village BIA (Henceforth known as) “The Alex Ling Lifetime Achievement Award’ In City Council meeting of March 2007 Council adopted a new street name design style for the City of Toronto that introduces commonality of colour and shape, improves legibility, and proposes Garage Sale consistency and distinctiveness for Looking to Sell/Looking to Buy? those neighbourhoods and BIAs that request specific identification and Does your BIA have Holiday Decorations, Planters branding. or other items that you’d like to sell? The City replaces between 2,000 Send us a picture, description and price and 2,500 street name signs each and we will post the information on the TABIA website. year. The new street name signs will be introduced, as the old signs require regular replacement.

City staff will provide options for the disposal of decommissioned signs, including the sale of old signs with proceeds benefiting the community. Staff will also report on a program to permit existing signs to remain in heritage conservation districts, and in older neighbourhoods and historic communities in the city, as well as in areas where current multilingual signs exist.

Council’s decision to consolidate and co-ordinate the City’s street name signage supports the beautification and cleanliness of Toronto’s roads, and preserves the unique quality of Toronto’s many distinct neighbourhoods.

www.toronto-bia.com 9 Lighting Exchange Event Listings for BIAs Cavalcade of Lights 2008 Light Exchange

Gerrard India Bazaar The Kingsway BIA Beach BIA Saturday, October 25th, 6 - 8 pm Friday, November 21st, 6 - 8 pm Saturday, November 29th, 4 - 6pm North West Corner of Gerrard and North West Corner Kew Gardens @ Queen St. E. Ashdale Rd. Royal York Road and Bloor St. West War Memorial Queen St. E. & Waverly Little Italy BIA St. Lawrence Market Wednesday, November 12th, 6 - 8pm Neighbourhood BIA Emery Village BIA Johnny Lombardi Parkette Saturday, November 22nd, Sunday, November 30th, 3 - 5:30 pm College @ Grace 10am to 1 pm Carmine Stefano community centre Bloor West Village BIA The Fountain at the St. Lawrence 3100 Weston Rd, on the north west Thursday, November 13th, 6 - 8 pm North Market side of Weston Rd Alex Ling Fountain at Sheppard Ave. W., North West Corner Wexford Heights BIA Inside – 2nd floor Saturday November 22nd, 6 - 8 pm Albion Islington Square 2131 Lawrence Ave. E., Yonge Lawrence Village BIA Saturday, November 15th, 7 - 8 pm At Westford Mall Saturday, December 6th, 12 - 3pm South East Corner of Albion Road Scotiabank at and Islington Parkdale Village BIA 3446 Yonge Street @ Yonge Blvd. Saturday, November 22nd, 2 - 4 pm Downsview Park Parkdale Town Square Greektown on the Danforth BIA Saturday, November 15th, 2 - 4 pm 1303 Queen St. West @ Cowen Saturday, December 6th, 6 - 8 pm Downsview Park, Discovery Centre Alexander the Great Parkette Keele and Sheppard West Roncesvalles Village BIA 484 Danforth Ave @ Logan Saturday, November 22nd, 2 - 4 pm Junction BIA Credit Union @ 226 Roncesvalles Ave. Sheppard East Village BIA Saturday, November 15th, 2 - 4 pm Saturday, December 6th, 2 - 4 pm Junction Square Riverside District BIA Markham Corners Plaza Dundas East of Pacific Ave. Thursday, November 27th, 6 - 8 pm 5117 Sheppard East at Markham Rd 791 Queen St. E. @ Degrassi St. Eglinton Way BIA West of CN tracks Thursday, November 20th, 6 - 8pm The Eglinton Way BIA Gateway Eglinton Ave W. at Chaplin Cres.

While a lot of the BIAs participate in the annual LED Light Exchange Program Many BIAs celebrate the Holiday Season in their own Events. For more information on lighting exchanges in Your neighbourhood or a list of all the BIA Holiday Events Visit our website at www.toronto-bia.com or go to www.torontohydro.com/SLED

10 Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas Economic Development Community Support Program Exclusive Offers for Once again The City of Toronto Economic Development is pleased to announce that in response to the success of the 2006/07 Job Creation Partnership (JCP) program, TABIA/BIA members only Service Canada has approved new funding for 2008/09. Preferred Rates on The Economic Development Community Support Project will continue from April Merchant Visa & MasterCard 2008 through January 2009, providing interested BIA’s with additional human Contact Marlene Van Zyl resource support. (416) 847-4255 Affordable Group Insurance Toronto Economic Development has launched its recruitment drive, seeking 30 for Small Business Owners eligible EI participants who will be placed with the city’s BIA organizations for a maximum 44-week period. The additional human resources will support the Director’s & Officer’s Liability development and expansion of programs and events that directly impact the local Insurance for Toronto BIA Boards economy including business area safety initiatives. BIA Boards SAVE on Financial Audit Fees This project, supporting our BIA’s is the third employment initiative with Service Canada, and builds on the momentum created through the previous two phases BIAs SAVE on since 2004. Tourism Toronto Membership

Job Creation Partnerships support the creation of incremental and meaningful work BIAs receive special pricing on opportunities for clients in activities that help develop the community and the local Uniform, Dust Mat, Linen and Dry economy. Service Canada, City of Toronto Economic Development and BIA’s will Cleaning needs. Contact John partner to identify employment opportunities that can provide Employment Insurance Belknap (416) 782-8788 (EI) recipients with valuable job experience. Special pricing for BIAs on attractive and environmentally Funding for Job Creation Partnerships is provided through the Employment Insurance friendly bags to promote events, Act. EI claimants receive their regular Income Benefits and/or income support under or retail environment. EI part II – Employment Benefits, which may be increased by the employer to a local prevailing occupational wage rate. Also eligible are other insured participants, such BIAs save on Rogers Media as clients who have received employment benefits within the last three years, or Packages maternity or parental benefits that started in the past five years. Contact John Kiru (416) 889-4111 for further details. Under this project, eligible participants will have the opportunity to develop and enhance employment skills by undertaking a wide-range of responsibilities including Visit www.toronto-bia.com to find general administrative support, event organization, marketing and communication, out more about benefits available to volunteer recruitment, and Web site management. In addition, participants will be TABIA members. exposed to numerous networking opportunities with potential employers.

For more information on how to take part in this great opportunity, please contact the project staff. Marianne Szczuryk, Project Administrator [email protected] | 416 263-3229 or Sandi Koitsis, Project Officer [email protected] | 416 263-3230

is the newsletter of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas. We want to hear from you! TABIA acts as a umbrella organization for Business Improvement Areas across Toronto. Send us your news, events and Submissions or comments may be directed to: photos for inclusion in our Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas newsletter and on our website. c/o 2257 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6S 1N8 Contact Patricia McCartie Tel: (416) 889-4111 | Fax: (416) 263-3125 | Email: [email protected] [email protected] Advertising: John Kiru | Production: Patricia McCartie 416.263.3295