Please click the following links for updated BizMap PDF files of:

2009 COMMERCIAL AREA PROFILE UPDATE

2006 NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKET PROFILE

A Business Improvement District is a specially funded districted managed and promoted by a non-profit association formed by the commercial property owners and tenants who join together to improve the economic vitality of their business district.  The BIA plays an important role in business promotion, safety and security, street enhancement and advocacy on behalf of their members.  Any commercial property owner or business tenant located within the specified boundaries of the BIA is automatically a member.   The membership is represented by a volunteer board of directors all of whom are commercial property owners or business tenants in the area and whom are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.  The Board meets monthly to implement the priorities and initiatives as approved at the AGM.

A Business Improvement Area is designed to assist local business and property owners to upgrade and promote their business area to assist in improving the economic viability of the district.  The BIA develops and undertakes programs to improve and beautify the area as well as promoting the area as a complete experience rather than as individual businesses.  BIA’s have also expanded their programs to include social issues and community work programs, as well as community planning and business recruitment.  BIA’s respond to and reflect the needs of individual areas; they can initiators of revitalization projects, coordinators of civic planning process, addressor of street issues, and an important element of district economic development.

The Hastings North BIA (HNBIA) was formed in 2001 and originated from the Hastings Chamber of Commerce which commenced operations in 1937.  The HNBIA serves approximately 625 members within the area bounded by Renfrew Street, Hastings Street, Commercial Drive, Powell Street, and Semlin Drive.  The HNBIA is a neighbourhood planning organization that plans, budgets and administers projects for the area.  The BIA works with its members and private and public sector partners to promote Hastings North as a place for retail and commercial activity.  Its mandate is to engage in clean and safe initiatives, advertising and promotion, to encourage improvements within the HNBIA, to increase retail and commercial activity, and further the area’s economic welfare.  The HNBIA maintains and enhances the commercial and light industrial zones as safe, economically viable places to work, shop, live and have fun, through cooperative, innovative programs and promotions.
We are also involved in a number of community and city-wide projects including:  The Fair Tax Coalition, Park The Tax, Living In Community, Cityplan, Public Realm Committee, Hastings Park Key Stakeholder Committee, Area Services Team, Project Civil City, Four Pillars Coalition, PNE Community Advisory Board, BIABC, and the Vancouver BIA Partnership.

History of Hastings Sunrise
Over 140 years ago, the provincial government envisioned a developing town on the shores of a lovely West Coast harbor. Although Vancouver eventually grew out of Gastown  just a few miles west, Hastings-Sunrise, situated on the northern block of that original planned site, produced the popular resort of New Brighton. This weekend retreat, close to where New Brighton Park is now, was a favourite with loggers, mill workers and vacationers from New Westminster. In 1869, the settlement was named Hastings Townsite in honor of visiting Admiral G.F. Hastings and it remained a leisure destination through the turn-of-the-century with visitors enjoying the hotel and racetrack in Hastings Park. As the area grew, it claimed many significant first achievements such as being the home to Vancouver’s first road, first wharf, first hotel, first post office, first real estate transaction, first museum and the first ferry between the Burrard Inlet and Victoria.
By 1910, with input from local residents, a tradeshow featuring dairy farmers, logging and horticultural demonstrations was born and still continues successfully today as the Pacific National Exhibition. Hastings Townsite joined the City of Vancouver in 1911 and by the 1920’s was developed for residential use. In the decades following WWII, our neighbourhood continued to grow as First Nations, European, Asian and families from around the world made Hastings Sunrise their home. Today, our vibrant community is a culturally diverse, warm, welcoming neigbourhood.