2026 BIA Conference Information

The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) is pleased to announce the 2026 BIA Conference to be held at the St. Catharines Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Centre and hosted by the St. Catharines Downtown Association from Sunday, April 19 to Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

The 2026 theme is "Main Streets in Bloom: BIAs Rooted in Purpose."

The theme draws inspiration from this year’s host city, St. Catharines — also known as The Garden City. The theme celebrates the important role BIAs play in cultivating resilient, inclusive, and economically vibrant downtowns across Ontario. Just as gardens require strong roots, intentional care, and collaboration to thrive, so too do our main streets flourish through the leadership and collective effort of BIAs, their members, and their communities.
Of additional note, 2026 marks the 56th anniversary of BIAs.

Key Theme Pillars to Inspire Your Submission
We are seeking interactive sessions and workshops that align with one or more of these theme-related pillars:
1. Rooted in Purpose
Understanding the legislative foundation and evolving mandate of BIAs
Honouring the legacy of main streets
Grounding strategies in community values and local needs
2. Cultivating Growth
Tools and strategies to support and engage with BIA Members (small businesses and property owners)
Data-informed decision-making
Embracing digital transformation and modern marketing
3. Nurturing Connections
Strengthening partnerships with municipalities, members, and stakeholders
Cross-sector collaboration
Capacity-building for BIA boards and staff
4. Equity and Inclusion in Full Bloom
Designing welcoming, inclusive downtowns
Engaging diverse voices in planning and decision-making
Advancing accessibility, affordability, and belonging

Speaker Expectations & Benefits
We’re seeking engaging, practical, and interactive sessions that deliver five key takeaways tied to the theme and pillars above. Please avoid sales-driven presentations. Our delegates value authentic learning and shared experiences. Speakers should have experience working with Main Streets and ensure their session is relevant to the BIA audience.

Benefits for Speakers Include:
Elevated profile as a thought leader in the BIA/community development space
Speaker Highlights in our Membership Newsletter and on Social Media
Networking with 300+ delegates and 30+ exhibitors
Opportunity to contribute to Main Street renewal across Ontario
Speaker thank-you gift

We encourage you to share this Call for Speakers with individuals or organizations who could make a strong contribution to the conference.

Speaker Registration Notice:
If selected, speakers attending only for their session will receive a COMP code to attend their presentation slot. To attend additional sessions, meals, or activities, full or one-day registration will be required.

Deadline to Apply: Friday, September 26, 2025, at 5:00 PM (ET)

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* 1. My submission will cover the following learning objectives (select all that apply):

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* 2. Choose a date to present based on your availability (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th choice):

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* 3. Name of Session.
Please try to name your session around our theme (see in the description above). If you do not choose a name that fits the theme, please know that if your session is chosen, we may rename it to better fit.

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* 4. Name of Speaker(s). Please note that there is a maximum of four (4) speakers per session.

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* 5. Speaker(s) Contact Information (email):

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* 6. Please provide a 250 word description of your session:

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* 7. Please provide a 50 word description of your session:

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* 8. Please provide a 50 word bio for each speaker:

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* 9. If you are a solo presenter would you be open to being a part of a panel if the committee deems your topics would complement each other?

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* 10. Do you have experience working with BIAs?

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* 11. Will your content be geared towards BIAs?

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* 12. What will attendees leave your session with? (i.e. worksheet, greater understanding of...., toolkit...)

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* 13. Do you have any additional expectations or requirements?

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* 14. Please provide a headshot of yourself and any other speakers.

PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF file types only.
Choose File

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* 15. Please provide social handles for yourself and any other speakers.

If you have a speaker reel, please provide it. If not, please consider creating a short video explaining your session. This is not mandatory, but additional consideration will be given to speakers that submit this. You have the option of submitting either a link or uploading a file below:

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* 16. Speaker reel or short video: Submit a link

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