Marpole Business Association BIA

The Marpole Business Association BIA was formed in the Spring of 2000. The MBA is the successor organization to the Marpole Business and Landlords Association, in existence since the 1970's.

Membership is determined by geographic location in the Marpole commercial district. If you own a commercial property or a business located along Granville Street between 3rd and 71st Avenues, you are automatically a member of the Marpole Business Association.

Membership dues are paid through the annual property taxes remitted to the City of Vancouver, and vary according to the property's size and assessed value.

Auxiliary membership is also available, for those businesses or interested non-profit or community groups located in the Marpole community. Auxiliary membership dues are $100 per annum, which includes all member communication materials, participation in Association events and the AGM. Auxiliary membership does not include voting rights.

The current budget of the Marpole Business Association is $100,000. Annual Association expenditures include street banners, decorative flower containers and seasonal flower/plant replacement, street cleaning through our partnership with the Coast Foundation, promotions and marketing programs, including the annual Marpole Summerfest event in July, member communication materials, and other projects designed to improve and enhance the interests of our members and the community.

The Marpole Business Association's mission is to maintain and enhance the Marpole commercial district as a place to live, work, shop and have fun in a comfortable, pedestrian-friendly, neighbourhood environment by developing and initiating pro-active and innovative programs in concert with our members, the city and the community.

The MBA's vision is to develop, promote and enhance the Marpole commercial district as a vibrant, comfortable and fun neighbourhood shopping area that exists as the bustling gateway into Vancouver.

The Marpole Business Association holds monthly Board of Directors meetings on the third Thursday of every month. Several Committees conduct regular meetings throughout the year, including Promotions & Marketing and Street Furniture.

Note: Additional information regarding the Marpole Business Association has been posted on the Internet by the Vancouver Public Library.

For more information on the Marpole Business Association, please email marpolebia@marpoleonline.com.

For more information on Business Improvement Areas, visit Business Improvement Areas of BC. Marpole Online's Business Finder also contains a listing of VANCOUVER BIA'S.

The Marpole Business Association and Marpole Business Improvement Area (BIA) can be reached at:

Box 80 - 8415 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC V6P 4Z9
Tel: 604-418-8232
Fax: 604-677-2750
marpolebia@marpoleonline.com

What is a BIA? BIA Background Information

A Business Improvement Area is a self-help mechanism designed to assist local business people, property owners and city councilors in upgrading and promoting their business and shopping district to further trade and commerce in their area.

Under the BIA concept, a business community can request to be designated as an improvement area by its municipal council. Once this is done, the BIA can develop and undertake programs to improve and beautify the Improvement Area. Tree planting, street furniture, improved parking, flower boxes and baskets, and street banners are typical examples of commercial area public improvement which can be implemented by a BIA. In addition, BIAs promote their areas as business and/or shopping areas, not just as a group of individual shops, restaurants and offices. Promotional activities may include special events and ongoing advertising programs which aim to keep the BIA area foremost in the public's mind as an attractive, pleasant place to shop, to be entertained, to work and to live.

An area of importance to many BIAs is the introduction of social programs and community work programs. Many BIAs, are picking up government slack by initiating programs that deal specifically with homelessness in downtowns, graffiti, pan handling, youth and anti crime related programs, safety, traffic and green space issues. In addition, BIAs have expanded their roles to include community planning and business recruitment to their list of goals.

The formal designation as a BIA provides a forum for business member participation through the Board of Directors and its communities. It also allows for a planned program to be developed with an annual budget contributed to by all its members. The cumulative effect of BIA activities will attract and maintain customers, clients, and shoppers to the commercial area as well as attracting new business to the market.

BIAs respond to and reflect the needs of individual areas. They can be merchant associations, initiators of revitalization projects, coordinators of civic planning process, a key spoke in economic development teams, and a positive voice when addressing street issues.