It’s that time of year when Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) across Ottawa can submit project plans to enhance and attract visitors to their districts, in efforts to receive support from the city in 2025.
Murals, benches, decorative planters and more. BIAs are eagerly awaiting the city’s decision for what projects it will support next year.
According to the City of Ottawa, all BIAs can apply for the Mural and Architectural Design Feature Funding Program, one of four funding programs the city is offering to Ottawa’s 18 BIAs.
“It’s the one that’s most likely to make visitors to any district stand up and say ‘encore,’” wrote the City of Ottawa in a news release.
Vinyl wrapped control box in Barrhaven. Photo by City of Ottawa.
While BIAs include businesses, commercial property owners and tenants, they work with the City of Ottawa to “organize, finance, and carry out physical improvements and promote economic development on their district,” added city staff.
The Mural and Architectural Design Feature Funding Program would help BIAs to fulfill some of their roles, including:
- Improve, beautify, and maintaining public lands and buildings within the area beyond the services already provided by the City
- Promoting the area as a business and shopping district
- Attracting new businesses to the area
As a part of the program, the city pays up to 50 per cent of project costs — to a maximum of $15,000 — if funds are matched by the BIA.
In 2024, the city funded the following projects:
- Downtown Rideau BIA’s 115 Rideau Street Mural Project (feature photo above)
- Barrhaven BIA vinyl wraps for traffic control boxes (photo above)
- Heart of Orléans BIA banners to reflect the BIA’s expansion
According to the city, other BIA funding programs include:
- Research Funding Program: supports BIAs in executing research projects, such as traffic and shopping patterns within the district, to help BIAs better understand their relationship with customers.
- Anti-Graffiti Funding Program: helps BIAs and member businesses in removing graffiti from properties within their districts.
- Formation and Expansion Funding Program: provides grants to business groups that have expressed a formal interest to create a new BIA or expand an existing one.
Applications for 2025 opened Oct. 25 and will remain open until Dec. 31.
“Supporting Business Improvement Areas in their promotion of Ottawa’s diverse communities is just one example of how we’re working with our partners to attract residents and visitors and create prosperity for our economy,” the city emphasized.
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