About us
Land
Acknowledgement
The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA) office and our member businesses acknowledge that we operate on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples which is now also home to diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Our physical office and retail spaces are within Treaty 13 territory but our work spans beyond into other traditional territories across Turtle Island.
Who We Are
On behalf of the Downtown Yonge community, the B.I.A. is a non-profit organization that is committed to improving the daily experience of our members, residents, customers and all stakeholders with an end goal of strengthening the culture and economy of Downtown Yonge.
What We Do
Scroll through to explore the different departments within the Downtown Yonge BIA.
Our strategic plan 2023-2028
In 2023, the DYBIA launched a process to develop a new strategic plan to guide its work over the coming years. This process provides an opportunity to take stock of changes in the community, explore new creative ways to address member needs and clearly articulate a renewed vision and plan.
Contact Details
Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area
40 Dundas Street West, Suite 300
Toronto, ON, Canada
M5G 2C2
Downtown Yonge BIA Boundary Map
416-597-0255
Downtown Yonge BIA
Sponsorship & Partnership opportunities
Reach a vibrant urban community and help create a healthy neighbourhood by partnering with us! There are a number of ways to engage, including becoming an event sponsor, participating in our banner program and more!
Connect with us to learn more.
Volunteer
Keep checking back for new ways you can join our team
Member Opportunities
Community Clean Up Days
We invite all our members to come out and join us for our Community Clean Up days, where we spend one morning twice a year cleaning up our laneways, parks and public spaces. Contact our Operations team for more information on how you can join us!
Join our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors help make decisions on behalf of the members and keep the membership abreast of BIA activities.
Join us at one of our events
We host many different types of events, with plenty of ways you can sponsor an event! Whether it’s becoming a presenting sponsor, or doing some sampling of your product offerings, we want to help get the word out about your business.
Request for Proposals
Illuminite 2025 Call for Artist(s) / Collective
Downtown Yonge BIA is working on Illuminite 2025, a light festival in February.
We are looking for Artist(s) and/or a Collective to create and deliver the different light installations. See Request for Proposal
Staff
Office & Governance
Pauline Larsen
Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer
647-466-0284
Marina Gavrilovic
Office Manager
416-520-4018
Phillip Chisholm-DeVeau
Accounts Manager
Economic & Community Development
Susie Barbosa-Pizzirusso
Manager, Economic & Community Development
416-700-4658
Jan Krouzil
Team Lead- Professional Practice- Community Engagement Team
647-545-2498
Placemaking, Partnerships, Operations and Planning & Development
Cheryll Diego
Director of Public Realm Experience
647-239-9003
Vincent Tam
Street Operations Assistant
416-333-9180
Rebecca Stubbs
Public Realm Coordinator
416-320-3072
Brandon Bissoondyal
Placemaking Coordinator
416-797-6058
Communications & Marketing
Susie Barbosa-Pizzirusso
Manager, Economic & Community Development
416-700-4658
Community Engagement Team
Jan Krouzil
Team Lead
Jason
Board of Directors 2022-2026
Executive Committee
Martin Wray
Chair
Robert Housez
Vice-Chair
General Manager, Chelsea Hotel
Alan Liu
Treasurer
Owner, Salad King
Bill Logar
Secretary
Chief Asset Management Officer, KingSett Capital
Pauline Larsen
Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Downtown Yonge BIA
Board of Directors
Chris Hodgson
Senior Manager, Security and Life Safety, Toronto Eaton Centre, Cadillac Fairview
Sheila Jennings
General Manager, Toronto Eaton Centre, Cadillac Fairview
Eli Waxman
General Manager, The Tenor
Gail packwood
Managing Director, The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres
Al Lalani Jr.
Managing Partner of the Lalani Group
Carrie Ashfield
General Manager, Triovest Realty Advisors Inc.
Michael forbes
Assistant Vice-President, University Relations, Toronto Metropolitan University
luke robertson
Vice-President, Development & Government Affairs
Toronto Eaton Centre, Cadillac Fairview
City Appointed Councillors
Chris Moise
Ward 13
Dianne Saxe
Ward 11