New Group Forms
The Downtown Business Improvement Area Associations of Atlantic Canada held a meeting in Moncton on December 3rd, 2009. Representatives from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island joined together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding which will outline the benefits that downtowns contribute to our individual communities and to the provinces Atlantic Canada. The new organization is to be known as the Downtowns Atlantic Canada (DAC), an alliance that will work to improve the positioning Downtown Business Improvement Areas as unique, diverse, vibrant and economically healthy urban cores.
DAC’s mission is to be recognized as the collective voice of the Downtown Business Improvement Areas of Atlantic Canada. The new Association wants to increase partnerships with Provincial and Municipal governments as well as with the Federal Government to achieve their goals of growth and investment in our urban cores. In addition, they desire to bring the challenges of urban economic development to the attention to decision makers able to facilitate actions which will result in prosperous and vibrant business improvement areas. DAC is committed to work toward prosperity for our downtowns, which is the purest form of economic development, as our concept is a self-help approach to revitalizing our defined Business Improvement Areas.
There are a number of benefits to the development of DAC that include but are not limited to the following opportunities such to increase funding partnerships and policy development with all levels of government and a stronger voice for downtown revitalization. Also, the benefits obtained through this cooperative effort will be provided through promotion of an urban strategy which identifies such challenges as brought about by an aging population, environmental impacts relating to growth, business retention, urban sprawl, residential and urban planning, economic development, tourism and heritage and culture.
Additionally, the benefits will include partnerships to address challenges around social issues such as housing, homelessness, urban poverty, addiction and crime. The Main Street Dartmouth and Area Business Improvement Association is pleased to be a founding member of Downtowns Atlantic Canada.
Main Street BID meets with PC Party Leader
On Friday January 29, the Main Street board of directors met with Karen Casey, leader of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party at the BID office, 175 Main Street. Our HRM councillor, Darren Fisher, also joined in the discussion. The board told Ms. Casey about the Main Street BID and our plans to grow business in the Main Street area. We also discussed the provincial deficit and told her that we do not support increased tax on small business to help reduce the deficit.
We explained that small business is an economic driver in the province and would help grow the economy to reduce the deficit. The Main Street Business Association will maintain ongoing discussion with all Nova Scotia political parties on issues affecting small business.
Strategic Planning for Next Three Years
The Main Street board of directors met in the boardroom of Scotiabank in the Westphal Plaza on February 8th to consider the future direction and project activity for our association. After three hours they came up with a large number of projects and promotional ideas where we can work together to grow and develop business in the Main Street area.
