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.

Planning and Development

Our Development Map shows just how much growth there in this area! We strive to be involved in all conversations to ensure the growth is sustainable and can integrate into the fabric of the neighbourhood.

Operations

Our full-time Clean Streets Team is always out in the neighbourhood ensuring the area is clean and welcoming. If you spot them, make sure you say hi!   

Economic Development

Our in-house economic development team enhances the work we do through research and metrics, as well as providing fee-for-service work to other BIAs and organizations. Our Safe and Inclusive portfolio is also under our economic development team.  

Events & Activations

From Play the Parks, our annual summer concert series in the parks, to our spectacular holiday lighting, we host events and installations year-round to further animate our streets and parks!

Community Safety

Not only does the Downtown Yonge BIA have an in-house street outreach team, we also have resources available for the neighbourhood to learn more about community safety & wellbeing. These include webinars and workshops, flyers, research and more. Additionally, the DYBIA also does extensive advocacy to ensure safety in Downtown Yonge is the number one priority for all levels of government.

Arts & Culture

The Downtown Yonge neighbourhood has an extensive history of contributions to Canada’s arts and culture scene. From murals to pop-ups to activations, DYBIA finds ways to pay homage to the area’s iconic past, while looking ahead to its bright and vibrant future in the arts community of Toronto.

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. 

a street pole with a neighbourhood banner on it

Contact Details

Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area
40 Dundas Street West, Suite 300
Toronto, ON, Canada
M5G 2C2

Downtown Yonge BIA Boundary Map

bia@downtownyonge.com

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.

Job Opportunities

Keep checking back for new ways you can join our team

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