York-Eglinton Strategic Plan

2018 - 2019

The York Eglinton Business Improvement Area (YEBIA) recently took a progressive step: its first Strategic Plan. A Strategic Plan offers a vision for where the BIA wants to be, a process for getting there, and specific actions for implementation. The Strategic Plan is intended to positively energize the area, maximize BIA investment returns and help inform the shape of the public realm already under transformation with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT construction. Between November 2018 and September 2019, PROCESS team members with Gladki Planning Associates worked closely with York Eglinton BIA (YEBIA) to develop their four-year strategic plan, which includes implementable action items.

The process was collaborative, working closely with YEBIA staff, board and BIA members and broader community residents in the area. The strategic planning process was a two-phased approach. In Phase 1, the team collected background research and held initial consultations with BIA members and community residents about how they currently experience and perceive the area and how they would want to see it improved. PROCESS and YEBIA staff also visited the various businesses along the strip to participate in interviews. We also held pop-ups, with a chalkboard, to collect community ideas and visions. In Phase 2, the Board participated in a visioning and action planning workshop, which included priority setting.

The resulting plan sets out directions for five priority areas: 1) Safety, Maintenance and Beautification; 2) Business Support, Retention and Recruitment; 3) Marketing and Promotions; 4) Advocacy and Relationship Building; and 5) Internal Organizational Structure.

Client

York-Eglinton

Service Areas

• Process + Strategy

• Engagement + Facilitation

• Planning + Policy