Future of the Bolton BIA still undetermined as Town begins process for public feedback

May 31, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By JASEN OBERMEYER

The Town of Caledon’s General Committee has received a request from the Bolton Business Improvement Area (BIA) to send notices to property owners, and from that response to determine if the organization remains or disbands.

The General Committee meeting took place this past Tuesday (May 29), and the request should set in the motion for the town’s process to send out notices to all the property owners.

“We’ve been hearing over the past few years quite a lot from members who are unhappy with the cost, the special levy that goes on all of our tax bills,” says Jean Carberry, Chair of the BIA and a Bolton-based lawyer.

She explained that some members “are not seeing that they’re getting a benefit from the BIA,” and several businesses would rather use the money they have to pay on the levy to benefit themselves “in the way that they want to do.”

For the BIA to disband, more than half its members representing at least half of the tax levies request it. If not, then the organization will continue. “Because of the discontent being expressed, it’s time to use this process to say to the members as a whole, ‘what do you really want here?’” says Ms. Carberry.

She added that ultimately, it will come down to what a majority of the people want. “It’s a democratic process.”

She recently posted a letter on the BIA’s website stating that this process will take another four months of notices, feedback and responses, and finally, a decision. “We’ve been hearing it from all over the place.”

During this process, all BIA programs and initiatives will continue.

Ms. Carberry stated in the letter that tenants should contact their owner or landlords and

make sure that they are aware of the notice from the Town. “I just believe in the process that will allow members as a whole to make a decision.”