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Hastings Crossing Business Improvement AssociationWes Regan, Executive Coordinator, HXBIA

+About Business Improvement Associations

BIAs were first established in Vancouver in 1989 in Gastown and Mount Pleasant

The mandate of BIAs is “business promotion” Liaising with municipal and government officials Street beautification Safety and security Economic and community development Supporting local events

+Where we areHastings Crossing BIA

+History and general makeup

Hastings Crossing BIA (HXBIA) founded in 2010

350 + businesses and property owners in BIA geography majority of which are SMEs with 10 employees or less. Wide array of retail, professional services, restaurants, social enterprises, non-profits

Most historic and storied area of the city, at one time the cultural and retail heart of Vancouver

+Who is Hastings Crossing BIA?Branding, marketing, and being a place

Socially inclusive, for revitalization not gentrification

Sees business as a force for positive social change and likewise sees the low income community as a partner and asset for business community through social enterprises and non-profits who employ residents through BIA programming

Identifying and building on community assets, increasing community capacity through BIA programming, promoting a healthy and diverse mixed commercial district that contributes to a livable and affordable community

Edgy, urban, artistic, gritty, creative, entrepreneurial, innovative, controversial, daring, unique, historic, fascinating

+Amazing historyAmazing potential

+Amazing historyAmazing potential

+An area known for social and political activism

+Amazing historyAmazing potential

+Diverse and Creative

+Sustainable

+Inclusive

+Our main goals as a BIA

To bring maximum value to our stakeholders through the BIA programming- but to also promote a broadened notion of value. Triple bottom line thinking, qualitative values, cultural social and environmental values, long term values etc.

Contribute to a healthy, sustainable, socially inclusive, vibrant, diverse and fully functioning community in the Downtown Eastside.

Successful and sustainable businesses that are partners in community development and contributors to a resilient local economy

A successful model for other cities to build on and be inspired by

+Questions?

Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association (HXBIA)Wesley Regan, Executive CoordinatorP.O. Box 88188418 Main StreetVancouver, BC V6A 4A5T: 604.805.3591wes.regan@hxbia.com