 January 5, 2022 To our provincial leaders, Re: Urgent Asks from BIAs for Business Supports The Bloorcourt BIA, Chinatown BIA, Corktown Business & Residents Association, Little Portugal on Dundas BIA, Queen Street West, Riverside BIA, and West Queen West BIA, collectively represent approximately 1800 small & medium sized businesses and property owners in Toronto. The views expressed in this letter come from our direct consultations with many of our members. On Monday, January 3rd, we learned that significant restrictions for many business industries were being put in place with less than 48 hours notice. Small and medium sized businesses remain the ‘engine of the Canadian economy’ and while they are instrumental, they remain equally as vulnerable and fragile during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. As one of our local businesses put it: “At this stage, we need financial measures more than ever to help us through the next 6 months as we have all been weathering through this pandemic for so long with little respite.” What we’ve heard:
On behalf all of the BIAs mentioned above, Jennifer Lay Meg Marshall Executive Director Manager Riverside BIA Bloorcourt & Queen Street West BIA  
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 Hello fall and hello pumpkin spice season! While we say goodbye to the hot and humid summer days, we can look forward to a new season of fresh, crisp and pumpkin-y things (Halloween will be here before you know it!) Many of our local #Bloorcourt businesses have some great fall menu or seasonal offerings that shouldn't be missed! As always, thank you for supporting local! (Who did we miss? Drop us a line by email to let us know so that we can add to this list!) Each Pumpkin Spice Crystal Set includes:
Image credit to @happysoultoronto on Instagram This family-owned business, has been around for 4 generations, since 1933. They specialize in floral arrangements for any occasion and also offer beautiful plants and succulents. Visit the store Monday thru Saturday. Image credit to @hillsflorist on Instagram "Apples are kissed with lemon and tossed with brown sugar and a fall spice mix, piled in a spelt crust with deep rich caramel sauce and topped with an oatmeal crumble" - Banoi on Instagram Image credit to @banoi_toronto on Instagram. We couldn't publish this listicle without a mention of an actual pumpkin spice latte! Order yours at The Makerbean Cafe (and be amazed at all of their neat laser-cut and 3D modelling creations) Available for in-store pickup, dine-in or order on participating delivery apps. Image credit to @themakerbean on Instagram. "Cinnamon sugar donut with pumpkin spiced cream filling. We like creamy pumpkin texture so decided to put filling into donuts, not dipping to glaze". - Machino Donuts on Instagram Image credit to @machinodonuts on Instagram.
 Emailed to:
Premier Doug Ford premier@ontario.ca MPP Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria (Brampton South) prabmeet.sarkaria@pc.ola.org Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction MPP Vic Fedeli (Nipissing) vic.fedelico@pc.ola.org Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Chair of CabinetMPP Lisa Thompson (Huron-Bruce) lisa.thompson@pc.ola.org Minister of Government and Consumer Services MPP Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York) CGlover-CO@ndp.on.ca MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) MStiles-QP@ndp.on.ca MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth) tabunsp-co@ndp.on.ca MPP Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) jbell-CO@ndp.on.ca MPP Catherine Fife (Waterloo) CFife-QP@ndp.on.ca April 23, 2021 To our provincial leaders, Follow up Re: Urgent Ask for Additional Supports and Clarity for Main Street Businesses The Riverside District, Queen Street West, Bloorcourt, Leslieville and West Queen West BIAs are five of Toronto’s 80+ BIAs. We collectively represent approximately 1300 small and medium sized businesses and property owners. The views expressed in this letter come from our direct consultations with our members. We are following up on our letter from April 9th (copy attached) where we requested:
We have not had an official response from the Premier nor Ministers that this letter was originally addressed to. We want to reiterate the continued need for support and with special emphasis on:
Hospitality businesses are one of the most impacted business segments during this pandemic and we are facing a volume of such drastic business closures, we are risking losing the culinary culture and identity of entire cities due to lack of support for this industry. We would also urgently request a liaison from the Province to listen to the hardest hit business segments in Toronto which have been under the longest lockdown in North America, such as hospitality, fitness and wellness, and beauty industries. Here are some messages directly from a cross-section of affected businesses: “My wife and I have been working 12-14 hour days since the onset pandemic just to keep our business afloat. Allowing favourable pricing for licensees would be a welcome lifeline, helping us wean off subsidies while joining the ranks of rest of the world where bulk purchasers find economic viability.” -Shamez Amlani, Owner & Operator of La Palette Restaurant @ 492 Queen St West, Toronto “Our family owned and run business has been on Queen Street East since 2013. Running a local restaurant during a global pandemic has reinforced just how much the local community really wanted us to be here. Locals have sent flowers and their children’s drawings to thank the restaurant for staying open during such a challenging time. During tough times, it really gives you the courage to keep on going. But our business is suffering major losses with every week that passes and we can’t keep our doors opened without stronger government support. Ceasing the 6% markup would be a most welcome step.” -Diana Sideris, Owner & Operator of Tabule Middle Eastern Cuisine @ 810 Queen St East, Toronto “We were caught in the storm of COVID two months after opening and all our original hires left. But I decided that we would not shut down…not even for a day. I kept the doors open through deliveries and takeouts. However, we can’t sustain this business model, we need more hospitality support now to survive to make it through to the return of outdoor and indoor dining.” -Rohit Wadhawan, Owner & Operator of Indian Spice Room @ 717 Queen St East, Toronto “We are a yoga studio since 2014 in the neighbourhood. We’ve qualified for all the government support available, it’s good, but to be completely honest, it's not enough. There is a lot of red tape around it, and you have to wait quite a while to receive a lot of the funding. Any money that I have received goes right into paying bills. We are pulling out all the stops with live-stream classes, online merchandise and marketing, but with our in-class business shut down the majority of the past year, it is a dire situation and unsustainable at current levels of support.” -Rachelle Wintzen, Owner & Founder of Chi Junky Yoga & Wellness Studio @ 70 McGee Street, Toronto “As the mother and wife of high-risk people, I understand and support all public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID 19 that are backed by scientific evidence. As a spa owner who has not been able to operate since November 23rd, 2020, I am also feeling the devastating impact of these closures on my business, my personal financial health, and the mental health and well-being of myself, my team, and my clients. The toll a year’s worth of half-measures and last-minute decisions has taken on small business owners in Bloorcourt (and across Ontario) is immeasurable and we simply cannot continue on this path.” -Michelle Palmer, Owner & Founder of Pause Beauty @ 993 Bloor St West, Toronto Once again, while we recognize that efforts have been made to support our businesses during the ongoing pandemic, not enough has been done. Due to the financial devastation that has been produced by the actions provincial government measures have been enacted to date, some businesses are taking risks under the strain they are experiencing. The only way to navigate past this reality is to directly address their concerns transparently on a financial, mental and emotional level. The measures we have outlined are what business leaders need to see now to prevent decimation of our main streets. On behalf all of the BIAs mentioned above, Jennifer Lay Meg Marshall Executive Director Manager Riverside BIA Bloorcourt & Queen Street West BIAs  Emailed to:
Premier Doug Ford premier@ontario.ca MPP Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria (Brampton South) prabmeet.sarkaria@pc.ola.org Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction MPP Vic Fedeli (Nipissing) vic.fedelico@pc.ola.org Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Chair of CabinetMPP Lisa Thompson (Huron-Bruce) lisa.thompson@pc.ola.org Minister of Government and Consumer Services MPP Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York) CGlover-CO@ndp.on.ca MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) MStiles-QP@ndp.on.ca MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth) tabunsp-co@ndp.on.ca MPP Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) jbell-CO@ndp.on.ca MPP Catherine Fife (Waterloo) CFife-QP@ndp.on.ca April 9, 2021 To our provincial leaders, Re: Urgent Ask for Additional Supports and Clarity for Main Street Businesses The Riverside District, Queen Street West, Bloorcourt, Leslieville and West Queen West BIAs are five of Toronto’s 80+ BIAs. We collectively represent approximately 1300 small and medium sized businesses and property owners. The views expressed in this letter come from our direct consultations with our members. While we recognize that efforts have been made to support our businesses during the ongoing pandemic, not enough has been done. Our members are looking for outcomes including more financial support for Toronto-based businesses, policy that is driven by transparent statistics, and clear lines of communication. In summary, what is needed:
Due to the financial devastation that has been produced by the actions provincial government measures have been enacted to date, some businesses are taking risks under the strain they are experiencing. The only way to navigate past this reality is to directly address their concerns transparently on a financial, mental and emotional level. We are already losing the character of our neighbourhoods and the social and economic diversity in all sectors of industry. The measures we have outlined are what business leaders need to see now to prevent decimation of our main streets. On behalf all of the BIAs mentioned above, Jennifer Lay Meg Marshall Executive Director Manager Riverside BIA Bloorcourt & Queen Street West BIAs c.c. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale) Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca MP Mary Ng (Markham-Thornhill) Mary.Ng@international.gc.ca MP Julie Dabrusin (Toronto-Danforth) Julie.Dabrusin@parl.gc.ca MP Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport) Julie.Dzerowicz@parl.gc.ca Mayor John Tory (City of Toronto) mayor_tory@toronto.ca Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth) councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre) councillor_wongtam@toronto Councillor Ana Bailao (Davenport) Councillor_Bailao@toronto.ca Councillor Mike Layton (University-Rosedale) councillor_layton@toronto.ca Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York) councillor_cressy@toronto.ca Councillor Brad Bradford (Beaches East-York) councillour_bradford@toronto.ca John Kiru - Toronto BIA Association jkiru@toronto-bia.com  The not-for-profit Bloorcourt BIA needs some help with creating a poster. And not just any poster: it will be a pretty large poster that is located at the Bloor/Dufferin transit shelter, facing eastward, on the south-west corner. The theme is to highlight shopping, eating, celebrating, and supporting our local Bloordale community for the fall/winter season. Submit your application here until September 6th, 2020. The successful artist/designer will be provided with a $250 honorarium **The successful recipient of this open call agrees to work with the third party printing agency to ensure that the poster meets the necessary file/design requirements. The BIA will also retain rights to the image to be used on social media, website or other promotional materials to highlight and celebrate the community. Credit will be given to the creator of the artwork. If you have any questions, please email us at: bloorcourtbia@gmail.com  This is a photo of the location of the transit shelter poster where the new artwork will go.
 Official Links to Various Governments on Updates and Statements 2019 #BloorcourtPumpkins Winner is: Pause Beauty! This was the second year that the Bloorcourt BIA hosted the friendly community contest of #BloorcourtPumpkins! Twelve businesses put their creativity to the test and had some fun. The community then voted on their favourite pumpkins. And the results are in! 1st Prize - $100 to Pause Beauty 2nd Prize - $75 to Long & McQuade 3rd Prize - $50 to Filosophy Cafe The Entries Top Left: The Maker Bean Cafe⠀ Top Right: Wise Bar⠀ Bottom Left: Royal LePage Supreme Realty, Brokerage⠀ Bottom Right: Techniques Hair Studio Inc.  Top Left: Station Bar & Kitchen⠀ Top Right: Filosophy Pastry and Espresso Bar Bottom Left: Long & McQuade (Toronto) Bottom Right: Pause Beauty⠀  Top Left: Elegant Picture Frames & Gifts⠀
Top Right: Anarres Apothecary⠀ Bottom Left: Angel Hair⠀ Bottom Right: Bloorcourt Veterinary Clinic⠀ The year 2020 will be an exciting year for Bloorcourt! For the past couple of years, we have been planning for the installation for three parkettes in the neighbourhood. Locations include:
Inspiration for the elements of the parkette designs draws on the imagery of a local fruit market and the recent Rosina Shopkeeper research project with Heritage Toronto. Construction for the parkettes is slated to begin in spring 2020. We look forward to seeing people enjoying the parkettes once they are complete. These are made possible with a partnership with the City of Toronto BIA Office.   Bloorcourt Pumpkins is back!
In celebration of Fall and Halloween, we created this community initiative in the fall of 2018. How does it work? Bloorcourt businesses will be given a pumpkin to decorate, carve, dress up, paint or get creative with. Members of the community will then need to visit the pumpkins online (by following the hashtag #BloorcourtPumpkins) or visiting them in store. Then, members of the community will vote for their favourite pumpkins! When does it take place? Pumpkins should be ready and on display in stores or windows by October 25th for voting to take place from October 26th to November 1st @ 11:59pm. Where does voting take place? Vote online here! One round of voting per email. Voting closes on November 1st at 11:59pm. What are the prizes? The winning Business Pumpkins will win cash awards as follows:
Community Voter Prizes There are also 4 (four) cash prizes of $25 that will be drawn at random by all qualifying email addresses that voted for their favourite pumpkins. *individual staff members of businesses are eligible to vote. When will the prizes be announced? All prizes will be announced or winners contacted no later than November 10th, 2019. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@bloorcourt.com |
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Land Acknowledgement
The City of Toronto acknowledges that what we now call Toronto is on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The City also acknowledges that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands. |
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