Ambleside Dundarave Business Improvement Area Service

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a BIA?

  A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a defined commercial area, where local business and property owners work together to promote the area to increase customer traffic and undertake a broad range of programs; including area branding, marketing, physical improvements, promotional events, commercial tenant recruitment and advocacy on behalf of the business community. 

  A BIA service is managed by a not-for-profit society and its operations are primarily funded through a special tax levy on all commercial properties within its boundaries. This is a self-funding mechanism in that 100% of the levy collected by the local government is granted to the BIA to fund its own programs. 

  Ambleside-Dundarave Business Improvement Area Service Bylaw No. 4847, 2015 was adopted by Council on December 14, 2015. The bylaw establishes a BIA for a ten-year term, ending on December 31, 2025. 

• What is the ADBIA?

  The Ambleside Dundarave Business Improvement Association (ADBIA) is a registered not for profit society, accountable to its membership, which includes commercial property owners and businesses within the service area. The association is governed by a Board of Directors elected by members at the association’s annual general meeting.  

• How much is the BIA service levy?

  Pursuant to section 215(2) of the Community Charter, the estimated costs of the BIA service are as follows: an amount not exceeding $520,000 in 2026, and the aggregate amount of annual grants to the ADBIA shall not exceed $4,198,475 over the term of the service. The proposed term of the service is 7 years, commencing January 1, 2026.

  For the purpose of recovering the monies granted to the ADBIA, in any year, the District will impose a property value tax on land or improvements (or both where both are present) in the BIA that fall within the Class 6 (Business and Other) property classification under the Assessment Act, sufficient to yield the full amount of the grant in each calendar year.

  The BIA levy is calculated based on each owner’s share of the total assessed value of properties in the service area. Each property owner’s share is reapportioned annually according to the assessed value determined by the BC Assessment Authority. Based on the 2025 taxable assessed value of the proposed service area, the estimated annual levy rate per $100,000 of assessed value for the next seven years would be:

  	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032
  The money granted to the BIA under this bylaw shall not exceed	$520,000	$540,800	$567,840	$596,223	$626,044	$657,346	$690,213
  Rate	0.0004937	0.0005134	0.0005391	0.0005660	0.0005943	0.0006241	0.0006553
  Est. cost per $100,000 of Assessed Value	$49.37	$51.34	$53.91	$56.60	$59.43	$62.41	$65.53

• How does the BIA service renewal work?

  The renewal of the BIA will be conducted using a “Council initiative - subject to petition against” process, as outlined in section 213 of the Community Charter. This is the most common method used in BC for BIA establishments and renewals, and was the process used to establish the BIA in 2015.

  Council may proceed with the renewal of the BIA as a local area service (i.e. adoption of the proposed BIA bylaw) unless it receives a sufficient petition against the proposed local area service within 30 days after the second publication of notice. Notice will be published in the North Shore News on October 1 and 8, 2025. 

  If there is support for the proposal, no action is required. 

  If a property owner within the BIA area objects to the proposal, objection must be provided in writing, using the Elector Response Form and received by the Corporate Officer no later than 4 p.m. on November 7, 2025.