United Voice. Collective Strength.
Supporting 18 Business Improvement Areas across Ottawa through advocacy, collaboration, and shared resources.
OCOBIA
Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas
OCOBIA is the unified voice of Ottawa’s 18 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), representing over 6,400 businesses and 128,000 employees.
We advocate for smart policy, support BIA leadership, and champion initiatives that strengthen Ottawa’s commercial communities. Whether you’re a business owner, BIA staff member, or municipal partner, this is your hub for collaboration, resources, and collective impact.
Our Advocacy Priorities
OCOBIA’s work is grounded in advocacy, collaboration, and strategic partnership. Our priorities are shaped by the real needs of our members and the evolving municipal, provincial, and economic landscape.
We focus our efforts in three key areas:
Advocate
We represent Ottawa’s BIAs at every level of government, shaping conversations that impact small business and commercial neighbourhoods.
Resource
We provide tools, connections, and insights that help BIAs grow and lead with confidence.
Partner
We collaborate with organizations that share our vision of vibrant, people-centred commercial communities.
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.
BIA Collaboration
Shop Local Campaign
OBIAA Awards
Provincial Recognition
Downtown BIA
Expansion + Rebrand
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...
Across Ottawa, BIAs are leading the way — and being recognized for it.
At the 2025 Ontario BIA Association (OBIAA) Awards, three Ottawa BIAs were honoured for their outstanding contributions to placemaking, marketing, and community impact. These projects show what’s possible when BIAs collaborate, create, and lead with purpose.
Vanier BIA – Awards of Merit for their Akoustik Music Series and Rebrand Project
Glebe BIA – Award of Merit for Glebe Spree
Downtown Rideau BIA – Award of Excellence for their Comprehensive Marketing Rebrand
Downtown BIA – Expanded Catchment, Renewed Mission
The former Sparks Street BIA has officially rebranded as the Downtown BIA, expanding its boundaries beyond Sparks Street to include a significant portion of Ottawa’s downtown core. The change marks a strategic shift — one focused on better supporting small businesses beyond a single pedestrian mall and unifying mainstreet efforts across the city’s centre.
The expansion brings new businesses into the fold, offering them access to BIA services, advocacy, marketing, and streetscape support. It also reflects the growing importance of cohesive, city-facing mainstreet strategies in post-pandemic economic recovery.
The Downtown BIA aims to revitalize Ottawa’s core as a vibrant, multi-use destination, supporting everything from office and retail to nightlife and cultural space
Ottawa BIAs by the Numbers (2024)
Our coalition represents real economic power — and real opportunity for Ottawa’s future.
18
Business Improvement Areas
2529
Commercial Properties
6500
Mainstreet Businesses
$8,023,014
Total Levy Payment
$161,707,728
Commercial Property Tax
$9,333,950,713
Total Assessed Value of Commercial Properties
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.
STAY IN THE LOOP
Catch up on news, stories, and advocacy updates from across the OCOBIA network.
