In 1970, when business was fading on a west Toronto main street, the  business people in the community decided to take action. They formed an  association, and used their own money to improve the street and promote  the area. Their work helped the street become – and remain – a popular  shopping destination. That was the start of Toronto 's first Business  Improvement Area, Bloor West Village.

Where it Began

The story begins in 1967 when the Bloor-Danforth subway line was  completed and many shoppers who formerly traveled along the surface on  Bloor Street in streetcars began disappearing underground.

To add to the problems facing neighbourhood retailers, a proliferation  of shopping malls had sprung up on the outskirts of the city around the  same time. These merchandising meccas offered enticing shops with a  wondrous array of products and services all under the same roof,  year-round climate-control and acres of free parking. This literally led  thousands of shoppers to forsake their traditional shopping habits,  pile into their cars and motor out to the malls.

As a result, some merchants were forced to close their shops and, in  some instances, follow the crowds to the malls. Vacancies resulted and  many local shopping areas began to look run down and seemed doomed to  oblivion.

Many business people who remained in their business strips reacted by  attempting to form business associations – and spent a great deal of  their time and effort going from door-to-door soliciting voluntary  donations for local improvements and area promotions. One problem they  often encountered was that only a few businesses in each block were  willing to contribute. These associations frequently found themselves  with insufficient funds and support to make any difference.

    

Out of sheer frustration, a group of businessmen in the west end of  Toronto, along Bloor Street West, went to City Hall and the Province  seeking legislation that would compel all businesses within a designated  area to pay a levy for the purpose of revitalizing their business strip  through physical improvements and promotional activities. The levy  would be collected by the City and turned over to the elected Board of  Management to be used as budgeted. After some persuasion, the idea was  finally adopted and the Business Improvement Area (BIA) legislation was  enacted, and became Section 217 of the Municipal Act. <strong>Bloor West Village became the pioneer of the BIA concept and was designated as the first BIA in 1970!

In 1970, during the beginning of the BIA, there were only 275 merchants,  professionals and services along both sites of Bloor Street West ,  between South Kingsway to the west and Glendonwynne Road to the east,  one kilometre long. Besides the numerous vacant stores, there was a used  car lot taking up the whole block on the north side of Bloor Street ,  between Glendonwynne Road and Kennedy Avenue , bare light bulbs were  strung across the entire block. On the south side of the street, there  were six gasoline stations. At Bloor and Jane, there was the abandoned  streetcar turn-around, end of the streetcar line, empty and dirty.

     

For the first year, the Bloor West Village BIA members voted themselves a  budget of $47,500. and the money was spent mostly on physical  improvements. The transformation was dramatic. The lighted trees  sparkled, there were colorful flower boxes and the benches made shopping  inviting. With the continuation of the beautification program and the  added area promotions over the years, the shoppers began to flock back  to Bloor West Village. A used car lot and gasoline stations have been  redeveloped into retail stores with residential and office units above. A  medical complex was built on the site of an abandoned streetcar  turn-around at Bloor and Jane. A number of other building developments  and restorations followed, making Bloor West Village vibrant and a safe  environment to live, work, shop and raise a family.

The success of Bloor West Village encouraged other communities. Now Toronto has 71 BIAs and the number continues to grow!