Wellington West BIA Expansion Gets Green Light from Businesses and City

OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Wednesday, November 24, 2020. Despite the challenges of a difficult and turbulent year, the Board and staff of Wellington West Business Improvement Area have some good news to share with neighbours, partners, and members: the Boundary Expansion Initiative has been successful!

After several years of hard work and planning, the BIA can finally welcome 50 more businesses from the Hintonburg and Wellington Village neighbourhoods into the BIA family. The new areas shown in blue on the map below include the Holland Cross complex, as well as a number of businesses along Scott Street and Gladstone Avenue.

BIA Board Chair John Ferguson points out this expansion puts the BIA in a unique position despite the hardships of COVID: “We felt it was very important not to increase financial burdens on our hard-hit member merchants. But expansion allowed us to do that while also increasing the range of services we offer and the number of businesses served.”

Carrying out this project also helps the BIA achieve a number of important strategic goals:

• Include all 600+ businesses in commercial properties across Hintonburg and Wellington Village;
• Welcome LRT passengers from all three area stations;
• Freeze levies for current BIA members and keep new members at 2020 levy rates; and
• Expand services in 2021 with more investment in promoting and beautifying the area.

BIA research shows strong support for bringing these areas together. With 91% of expansion businesses saying they are open to the idea, twelve strong letters of support received from businesses and community leaders, and only a few notes received during the 60-day objections period, the City officially certified the expansion late yesterday afternoon. 

To Kitchissippi Councillor Jeff Leiper, this validates the cooperative spirit the BIA has always shown: “For years, I have worked very closely with Wellington West BIA Board and staff as they work to build their ‘community of communities’ with neighbours, charities, and community groups. This is one more big step forward in making that vision a reality.”

And the Chair of the newly formed Ottawa Coalition of BIAs Mark Kaluski agrees: “This is not just good news for our colleagues in Wellington West; it is a shot in the arm for the BIA movement across this City. BIAs make a difference. And they are never more vital than in times like these.”

Or as Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson puts it: “A strong city is built on strong local businesses who care enough to invest in making their communities better. Congratulations to the merchants of Hintonburg and Wellington Village on achieving this important milestone towards an even better and more vibrant Wellington West experience.”

For all Media Enquiries: please contact BIA Executive Director Dennis Van Staalduinen at dennisv@wellingtonwest.ca or contact the BIA office at 613-729-0363

Previous related stories:

• WWBIA BOUNDARY EXPANSION PROJECT
• BIA Boundary Expansion Information & feedback