A few weeks ago we wrote on how many businesses in our neighbourhood here at Business in Vancouver felt the formation of a business improvement association (BIA) was being thrust upon them, along with a surtax to finance it.
In B.C., anyone can lay claim to a district, set up a non-profit society and propose a BIA. The process to establish one involves a “negative option” – you are assumed in favour if you do not say otherwise.
If more than half of the businesses within the district representing more than half of the tax assessment value do not step forward to oppose it, council approves a BIA and the city collects and remits the surtax to the new organization.
The surtax averages about $0.57 on each $1,000 of assessed property value. Nearly $12 million in these levies on business fuel two dozen Vancouver BIAs.
In our neighbourhood, a majority stepped forward at a January meeting to oppose the proposed Creekside BIA. It did not proceed.
At the same meeting, though, council approved the expansion of the Cambie Village BIA into industrial land – but only after an interesting manoeuvre.
As with the Creekside plan, more than half (54%) of the businesses opposed the Cambie Village BIA, and it seemed doomed. But a new boundary suddenly materialized when city staff excluded two large dissenting businesses and made the needed numbers (47% opposed). Council rubber-stamped it.
Needless to say, this handiwork hasn’t gone over well with remaining opponents. Nor should it. They’ve written the mayor, to no avail.
BIAs shouldn’t be built on anything but near-consensus. Their value is significant, but their credibility is risked when they proceed with compliance instead of commitment.
The redistricting reflects poorly on the principle. Taking the time to make the case would have been better than changing the boundary to push the point.
