a

MENU

United Voice. Collective Strength.

Representing 18 Business Improvement Areas across Ottawa through advocacy, collaboration, and shared resources.

OCOBIA

GET STARTED HERE

START A BIA

NEWS & UPDATES

BIA RESOURCES

ABOUT OCOBIA

Ottawa Small Business Summit 2025

October 20, 2025
8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Bayview Yards, Ottawa

Kick off Small Business Week with a full day of panels, workshops, and networking designed to empower and celebrate Ottawa’s small businesses.

Hosted by OCOBIA, Ottawa Board of Trade, and Invest Ottawa — presented by TD Bank

Neighbourhoods in Action

Across Ottawa, BIAs are leading local change — activating public spaces, hosting events, and supporting businesses in creative, meaningful ways. This section showcases recent successes and collaborative efforts that are shaping the future of our mainstreets.

Placemaking

Downtown Event Spaces

Summer in the City

BIA Events Across Ottawa

BIA Collaboration

Shop Local Campaign

Placemaking in Action: Metcalfe Plaza & Uncommon Event Space

Downtown Ottawa is transforming through creative placemaking, with BIAs playing a leading role. From the vibrant Metcalfe Plaza pilot — featuring co-working space, DJs, and local markets — to the launch of the Uncommon Event Space, these projects are redefining how we use and enjoy public space in the core.

Read about Metcalfe Plaza →

Explore the Uncommon revitalization →

Celebrating Summer: BIA Events Across Ottawa

From Wellington West’s Taste event to Taste of Manotick, BIAs across the city brought communities together this summer through vibrant festivals that showcased local flavour, creativity, and connection. In Vanier, Partage Beechwood offered a sold-out evening of food, music, and community under the stars.

Read about Taste of Manotick →
View Partage Beechwood recap →

BIA Collaboration – Rallying Together for Local Business

In response to ongoing economic uncertainty and the impact of U.S. tariffs, Ottawa’s BIAs have united around a powerful, coordinated message: shop local, support local, and invest in our communities.

Led by the Centretown BIA, a new pilot project is bringing together neighbourhoods including Glebe, Downtown, Chinatown, ByWard Market, Somerset Village, and others to deliver a creative and community-focused Shop Local campaign. Using a brand ambassador to engage residents on the street, the initiative rewards shoppers who name their favourite local businesses with...

Ottawa BIAs by the Numbers

 

Our coalition represents real economic power — and real opportunity for Ottawa’s future.Ā 

OUR MEMBERS

Explore the BIAs shaping Ottawa’s neighbourhoods — each with a unique identity, voice, and impact.

Mainstreets:
Where Shopping Local Began.

OCOBIA’s Tariff Resource Hub and Shop Our Mainstreets campaigns help BIAs and businesses access essential data, navigate municipal fees, and promote vibrant neighbourhood economies. This section is built to support your operations — and amplify your impact.