BLOX EXPANSION
Now, after four years of success, the Board has decided it’s time to expand BLOX to have an even greater impact. By growing our BIA, we aim to:
Strenghten
Strengthen our influence within the community
Provide
Provide more resources to support businesses, workers, and visitors
Create
Create more opportunities for collaboration and growth across The Beltline
Overview
Established in 2020 with City Council approval, the Beltline Business Improvement Area (Now BLOX) was formed to unite and support businesses in the Beltline community. Despite facing the immediate challenges of a global pandemic, our Board of Directors—composed primarily of local business owners—rose to occasion. Through months of closures and reopenings, we supported hundreds of businesses, helping our community not just survive but thrive.
THE WORK STARTS NOW!
Over the coming months, we will engage with businesses, community partners, associations, city representatives, and more to ensure this expansion reflects the needs of our evolving community.
If you own a business between 2nd St SW and Crowchild Trail on 10th to 14th Ave, we want to connect with you!
Together, we can continue building a thriving, vibrant community.
Our Proposed Expansion
Connecting Neighbourhoods. Creating Change.
Our Current Boundaries
Proposed Expansion
What Does A BIA Do?
A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is led by a dedicated Board of Directors that strategically plan a wide range of annual initiatives. From hosting events and driving promotions to enhancing street safety and beautifying public spaces, a BIA works tirelessly to support the local business community.
Community and business engagement play a vital role in shaping our strategic priorities. At BLOX, we regularly conduct strategic planning surveys, hold meetings with businesses, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement. Our strategic plan is a direct reflection of what our business community envisions—focusing on the tools, resources, and initiatives needed for businesses to grow, thrive, and succeed.
The operations of a Business Improvement Area (BIA) typically fall into the following categories:
Marketing
We promote both individual businesses and the broader community by leveraging multiple platforms and channels. This includes social media campaigns, paid advertisements, newsletters, radio spots with CJSW, city street posters, neighborhood magazines, and media relations. These efforts ensure maximum visibility for our business community.
We strive to make streets clean, safe, and inviting through litter collection, graffiti removal, window washing, sharp and hazardous object disposal, wellness checks, and 311 reporting. An on-demand service number is also available for businesses and community members. Partnering with organizations like Alpha House, we provide support for vulnerable populations and offer community education to address safety concerns.
Street Cleanliness & Safety
Advocacy
We work closely with the City of Calgary, property developers, community associations, police, and other stakeholders to address key concerns. From parking and traffic issues to tackling social disorder, our advocacy ensures your priorities are heard and acted upon.
Events
Our five signature events and two sponsored festivals draw tens of thousands of visitors to the BLOX annually. In addition, the BIA manages the BLOX Arts Centre, a dynamic hub for weekly events, community workshops, meetings, and more. These events foster vibrancy and community connection.
Streetscape Improvements
Through initiatives such as planters, flags, garbage bins, cigarette disposals, murals, public art, and other placemaking projects, we transform the BLOX into a vibrant destination where people want to work, play, and live.
Member Resources
Comprehensive toolkits are provided to all businesses, offering direct access to essential information and resources to maximize the benefits of being part of the BIA. These toolkits include critical safety contacts and protocols, strategies for marketing engagement, ongoing initiatives, key contacts, and much more.
BLOX Arts Centre
This unique feature of our BIA, serving as a dynamic community hub for arts, culture, and engagement. It offers a wide variety of initiatives, including workshops, community events, and meeting spaces, designed to bring people together and enrich the neighborhood.
In the evenings, the centre drives foot traffic to the BIA as visitors enjoy dining and entertainment before attending events like live music performances. During the day, it serves as a free resource for businesses to host meetings, workshops, holiday parties, or participate in our complimentary training sessions and workshops.
The BLOX Arts Centre is a diverse and inclusive space, fully accessible and welcoming to people of all ages. It embodies our commitment to fostering community connection, supporting local businesses, and making the BLOX a vibrant destination for everyone
What will this cost me?
It’s different for every business! The City of Calgary calculates the BIA levy based on your business assessment. You can check out their guide through the link below:
To give you an idea:
👉 The average BIA levy paid by businesses in our district is $1,328/year
👉 The median levy is $422/year
👉 The current tax rate is 0.01414% We offer the third lowest BIA tax rate across all 15 Calgary BIA’s!
For many businesses, this works out to just a few dollars a week — a small investment that helps us promote the district, support local businesses, and bring more people to the area!
Expanding the BIA will unlock greater resources, increased influence within the community and citywide, and the ability to support more businesses on a larger scale. With additional resources, we can enhance every aspect of our operations—bigger and better events, marketing initiatives, streetscape improvements, cleaning teams, safety programs, and more.
Greater community influence will also strengthen our ability to advocate for meaningful changes, such as improved lighting, bike lanes, traffic calming measures, and other enhancements that benefit businesses and residents alike.
Expansion & Engagement Timeline
August 2024
November 2024
January 2025
February 2025
March 2025
April 2025
May 2025
June 2025
July - August 2025
September 9 2025
Approved by Board of Directors
Proposed to City of Calgary
January 6 - Email to Key Stakeholders with Expansion Proposal
January 15 - Initial Meeting with Sunalta CA
January 16 - Social Media & Newsletter Circulation
January 22 - Meeting with BNA & MLA
January 30 - Website Page Launched
January 31 - Social Media Circulation
February 3 - Meeting with MLA. Social Media & Newsletter Circulation
February 10 - Meeting with Sunalta CA
February 13 - First Expansion Information Session Hosted
February 20 - Meeting with Ward 8
February 24 - Sunalta CA circulates Expansion Presentation on our behalf
March 3 - Newsletter Circulation
March 11 - Completion of Expansion Toolkits for Door-to-door Engagement
March 18 - First door-to-door Engagement Day
March 26 - Second door-to-door Engagement Day
March 31 - Social Media Circulation
April 1 - Newsletter Circulated
April 11 - Second Expansion Information Session Hosted
April 16 - Third door-to-door Engagement Day
April 29 - Fourth door-to-door Engagement Day
May 7 - Mail-out to All 361 New Businesses within Proposed Boundary
May 15 - Fifth door-to-door Engagement Day
May 20 - Social Media Circulation
May 22 - 100 Street Posters went up in Beltline, Sunalta and Surrounding Areas for 2 weeks
May 27 - 1 Month of CJSW Ads start
June 2 - Social Media Post & Newsletter Circulation
June 9 - Third Meeting with Sunalta CA & Interested Businesses
June 11 - Final door-to-door Engagement Day
June 12 - Email to all Expansion Businesses, including: Formal Letter and Invitation to Final Information Session Circulated
June 26 - Final Expansion Information Session Hosted
June 30 - Board Vote to Change Proposed Expansion Boundaries
Engagement Feedback: Meetings & Responses
City Council Decision
If approved, this expansion is expected to take effect in early 2026, marking an exciting new chapter for our BIA and the entire community.
