BIA on the ropes
With the current furor over the establishment of a Bronte Business Improvement Area (BIA), the town would do well to take a go-slow approach to the scheme.
At the present time, a petition is on its way to the Town of Oakville, containing the names of Bronte merchants opposing the plan. Opponents to the BIA say the list represents 33% of Bronte area merchants.
It would take at least that percentage for the town to quash a bylaw that would enact the Bronte BIA.
But Oakville is not the only municipality to run afoul of the BIA concept. In many other Ontario towns, there are problems with merchants who say they don't have enough control over their taxes imposed by a BIA bylaw.
In fact, the Ontario government is reviewing its legislation that permits municipalities to create BlAs with possible changes coming into effect some time this spring.
Those businessmen opposing the plan say they don't like the amount of money taken up in administration costs by the already existing Oakville BIA, and can see the same thing happening in their area.
Certainly there have been some dramatic changes made in Bronte over the past decade but it seems futile, at best, to put a BIA designation on the area if so many of the merchants are opposed to the scheme.
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last updated on April 28, 2002
