Item - 2017.ED22.9

The Economic Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council approve the amendments to Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, in relation to, among other matters, clarity respecting Business Improvement Area (BIA) membership; voter eligibility and non-member (designate) voting at annual general meetings; the authority of City staff to attend and address BIA meetings; financial procedures; minor adjustments to BIA boundaries; board of management procedures and practices; removal of directors for attendance reasons; filling board vacancies mid-term; and definitions, substantially as set out in Attachment 1 to the report (April 25, 2017) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture and subject to any necessary minor substantive or stylistic refinements as may be identified by the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture and the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to recommend substantive, minor and technical amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas (the "Chapter") pertaining to, among other matters, clarity respecting Business Improvement Area (BIA) membership; voter eligibility and non-member (designate) voting at annual general meetings; the authority of City staff to attend and address BIA meetings; financial procedures; minor adjustments to BIA boundaries; board of management procedures and practices; removal of directors for attendance reasons; filling board vacancies mid-term; and definitions.  The proposed amendments are identified in Attachment No. 1 (see crossed-out and bolded text).

The Chapter is subject to a staff review approximately every two years so that it can best assist the City's BIAs to operate in a transparent, effective and efficient manner.   Those proposed amendments which are substantive, as opposed to those which are minor or technical in nature, are explained below.