September 24, 2020: News from Main Street

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September 24, 2020 / canurb.org Two New Bring Back Main Street Solution Briefs Released Today Substantive, innovative, evidence- and stakeholder-informed, these BBMS Solutions Briefs are aimed at advancing solutions that will strengthen Main Streets across Canada through recovery and beyond. Supporting Main Street Recovery Through Small-Business-Friendly Policy Source: AtaliaPhotos By: 360 Collective This solution brief focuses on the role governments can play in supporting main street retail business sustainability and driving recovery. It’s geared to policymakers and practitioners in economic development, finance, urban planning, and design, as well as legislators and regulators. The brief presents an analysis of the key requirements of business success and suggests retail policy solutions in 5 areas: 1) regulatory compliance 2) landlord-tenant relations and commercial vacancies 3) property tax and assessment policy 4) redevelopment pressures, and 6) access to financing. “Policy, programs and associated regulations and administrative processes should be grounded on an understanding of how businesses operate and what they require in order to succeed.”   Read Now Operational Trends and Potential Actions for Main Street Retail Recovery By: JC Williams Group This solution brief focuses on the role that local business organizations can take to help ensure that main streets remain lively areas of commerce. It presents an analysis of the trends and challenges experienced by retailers and suggests a series of potential actions for supporting the reopening, recovery, and renewal of main street commercial areas. The solutions cover a variety of areas, including helping businesses with COVID adaptation, supporting digital transformation, communication and advertising strategies, dealing with retail vacancies, and creative redevelopment opportunities. “Retailers play a critical role in the health and vitality of Canadian main streets and keeping main street retailers healthy is an important mission of the local business organizations that represent them.” Read Now Five Bright Ideas Signs of innovation, creativity, and resilience on our main streets: This guide to Inclusive Event Planning after COVID-19 outlines factors to consider when hosting event such as accessibility, safety, hygiene, and social distancing. The Local Frequency is an online directory of small businesses in Winnipeg. The website shares news and information, and promotes a Local Dollars program that rewards customers for supporting small business. Wyndham, Australia has taken to installing new alfresco parklets throughout the city to promote local tourism and provide more space for observing physical distancing requirements. Winter Places is a call for activation ideas for main streets and neighbourhoods during COVID-19, with the ultimate goal of publishing a Winter Cities design guide. TULIP is a project by ADHOC architectes that installed colourful iron tables to safely encourage citizens to reappropriate public space in downtown Montreal confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Find more bright ideas like these at CityShareCanada.ca. Thank You to Our Partners We are grateful to all of our partners for supporting us in building a stronger urban Canada. Donors and Program Funders Bring Back Main Street is supported by Business Improvement areas and Economic Development organizations across Canada, Vancity and Vancity Community Investment Bank Partners Black Business and Professionals Association, Bloor-Yorkville BIA, Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, Canadian Business Resilience Network, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Canadian Institute of Planners, CGLCC: Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, City of Calgary, City of Edmonton, City of Toronto, City of Vancouver, Develop Nova Scotia, Downtown Halifax, Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, Downtown Yonge BIA, Environics, Financial District BIA, National Preservation Council, National Trust for Canada, Ontario Business Improvement Area Association, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Regina Downtown BID, Retail Council of Canada, Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, Rues principales, Save Canadian Small Business, St. Lawrence BIA, Tamarack Institute, The Waterfront BIA, Toronto Entertainment District BIA, Trinity Centres Foundation, Vancouver Economic Commission Main Street Design Challenge Partners Canadian Institute of Planners, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, Council for Canadian Urbanism, ICOMOS Canada, National Trust for Canada, OCAD University, Rue principales, STEPS Initiative, Trinity Centres Foundation Research Team 360 Collective, Happy City, Simon Fraser University, Fathom Studio, JC Williams Group About CUI CUI is Canada's Urban Institute. We are the national platform that houses the best in Canadian city building – where policymakers, urban professionals, civic and business leaders, community activists and academics can learn, share and collaborate with one another from coast to coast to coast. Copyright © 2020 Canadian Urban Institute | Institut urbain du Canada Canadian Urban Institute | Institut urbain du Canada 30 St. Patrick Street, 5th Floor Toronto, ON  M5T 3A3  Canada Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.