The Creemore BIA is proposing a significant increase to its levy.
At its annual general meeting last week, members supported a 50 per cent increase, bringing the total levy to $37,500 to address increased costs associated with specific projects and inflation.
“The reason that we decided it was important to up the levy so dramatically was because we anticipate that we will have fewer donations from the community,” said treasurer Sara Hershoff, owner and publisher of The Creemore Echo. “We’ve been really lucky to have corporate donations, but now that money is being spread over more community groups, so we just we didn’t want to base our budgets on the benevolence of local business. We needed it to be a little bit more formal, so the increase in the levy will take care of that.”
A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is an association of commercial property owners and tenants within a defined area who work in partnership with the municipality to create thriving and safe business areas that attract shoppers, diners, tourists, and new businesses, according to the Ontario BIA Association.
Property owners within the defined area pay an annual levy, as legislated by the Municipal Act. In accordance with the Act, funds are used to promote the businesses in the catchment area and pay for beautification.
The levy is spread across 36 addresses in the downtown core.
A $5,000 levy increase was approved in 2022, before the new board was appointed.
Hershoff said the current board wanted to ensure the board coming inforthenewtermwassetuptobe able to meet its obligations.
At the Aug. 19 AGM, the board presented a balanced $62,000 budget for 2027. Their biggest expense is $22,000 in beautification costs, including $6,500 for maintenance labour and $3,500 for their portion of the streetscape study, in partnership with Creemore Community Foundation and the Township of Clearview. The BIA is also setting aside $5,000 per year to help meet its capital expense obligations that result from the streetscape plan.
The BIA has in recent years paid for additional weeding and maintenance, along with social media management and a billboard, which make up the bulk of the $10,000 annual marketing budget.
“Our little board has been very active in both fundraising and providing service,” said Hershoff. “We’ve been paying more people as our term went on, and we want the next group to be able to do that.”
Hershoff said a number of main street businesses currently under construction will be opening within the next term to help share the costs.
“We’re hoping that mitigates the cost a little bit for our existing members. It just takes a little bit of the stress off of them because the way the levy works is that you set a price and then everyone shares,” said Hershoff.
She said the members attending the AGM understood the rationale for the levy increase.
“Generally, the members that did attend felt like they were getting excellent service for the money that they’re spending, and that they’re willing to invest more through the BIA because it’s helping their businesses and their investment in their properties,” said Hershoff.
The budget will now be presented to council for final approval.
Trina Berlo photo: Mannington Investments is redeveloping 143 and 145 Mill Street creating up to four commercial units on the main floor, and apartments on the second floor.
