DHBC programs that members believe have the most value:
• Marketing Campaigns
• Business Grants
• Murals and Public Art – SURVEY SAYS –
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR + CEO
Change is all around us in Downtown Halifax. We continue to see the progress of the new Cogswell District which is transforming the northern gateway of Downtown. Significant large-scale private developments, such as The Press Block, Cunard Residences, the former Ralston building site, and Skye are transforming both the skyline and the streets. Political change is also in the air, as fall will bring a new mayor and changes to the Halifax Regional Council. Downtown continues to play host to exciting events. Last year we hosted the 2023 North American Indigenous Games and the inaugural Halifax International Fleet Week, as well as welcomed back The JUNO Awards to sold out crowds. We also continued to see growth in home-grown events and festivals, and new businesses, all of which provided a compelling draw for visitors and residents.
This report takes a look back at the year that was, particularly highlighting the accomplishments of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC), in the areas of Advocacy, Marketing & Communications, Membership Engagement, and Placemaking.
In the year to come, DHBC will be focused on the Downtown Halifax Vision 2030, which was launched earlier this spring; investments in attracting businesses; and our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility initiatives to ensure our Downtown is a welcoming place for one and all.
The DHBC Board and Staff remain steadfast in their commitment to passionately pursue a more vibrant and prosperous Downtown for our members and, more broadly, for our city and our province.
Ashwin Kutty
Paul MacKinnon Chair, Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer
Photo: WeUsThem
Photo (left): Discover Halifax
78% – SURVEY SAYS –
of members believe DHBC makes a positive contribution to Downtown.
WHO IS DHBC?
Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) is the business improvement district (BID) that represents 1,600+ businesses in the urban core of Halifax, Nova Scotia. We are a not-for-profit organization that works to passionately pursue a more prosperous and vibrant Downtown.
Guided by our focus areas: Advocacy, Marketing & Communications, Membership Engagement, and Placemaking, DHBC runs programs, projects, events, and initiatives to help make Downtown Halifax a better place to live, work, and play.
Kimberly Dossett Director of Finance & Operations
Allana MacDonald Mills Director of Marketing
Jayme Lynn Butt Communications Manager
DHBC STAFF
Raf Peligro Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Becca MacAulay Office Administrator
Membership Engagement Manager: Vacant
Jonathan Goldson Placemaking Manager
Lucas Goltz Program Coordinator, Navigator Outreach Program
Ashwin Kutty, Chair President & CEO
WeUsThem Inc.
Marilisa Benigno, Vice Chair President Benigno Group of Companies
Erin Esiyok-Prime, Secretary Treasurer Director of Marketing & Communications Events East Group
Issmat Al-Akhali, Member at Large Owner/Operator
Granville Hall Student Residence & Cameo Hotel
Sanjeev Pushkarna, Member at Large Director, Business Development
Nova Scotia Power
Christian Rankin, Past Chair Co-Owner
Obladee Wine Bar
Trish Calder Associate Partner
Barrington Consulting Group
Melissa Carey
Vice President Sales & Marketing
RCR Hospitality Group
Sally Christie Chief of Staff
Halifax Regional Municipality
Kristan Hines
Senior VP of Corporate & Public Affairs
National PR
Raeesa Lalani
Artistic Director
Prismatic Arts Festival
Joyce Liu Founder & CEO
Lumi Studios Media & Production
Joe McGuinness Owner
Platinum Group
Blaise Morrison Manager of Development & Planning
The Armour Group Limited
Jeff Ransome
General Manager
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel
Photo (right): Michelle Doucette Photography
MISSION
To passionately pursue a more prosperous and vibrant Downtown.
Canada’s Favourite Downtown.
Agility, Community, Data Driven, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA), Leadership, Professional Relationships.
Photo (left): Riaz Oozeer
INCITE INVESTMENT INCREASE SALES ATTRACT PEOPLE
TARGET:
By 2026, Downtown Halifax’s annual visitation will exceed 14.5M; the residential population will be 22K with an employee base of 20K.
TARGET:
By 2026, Downtown Halifax’s ground floor sales will be $430M and ground floor vacancy will be under 10%.
TARGET:
By 2026, significant progress will be made on 30 new Downtown Halifax projects, there will be 1K new residential units, and HRM will have committed to a significant streetscape project.
Photos (left to right): Riaz Oozeer, Tourism Nova Scotia & Alexa Cude, Riaz Oozeer
ADVOCACY
DHBC represents the collective voice for its members when speaking with government, media, and other stakeholders. We work closely with our partners, monitor the news, and work to provide updates to our membership, assuring we are always one step ahead.
HIGHLIGHTS
Represented DHBC at the International Downtown Association (IDA) conference in Chicago.
As a result of collaborative work with other BIDs, saw the implementation of differentiated downtown and main street commercial tax rates implemented in the HRM budget.
Met with government officials and bureaucrats in advance of the Downtown Halifax Vision 2030 launch. Visit downtownhalifax.ca/vision2030 to view.
Participated in Advocacy Days on Parliament Hill.
Took part in extensive consultation with DHBC members, HRM, and the Provincial government regarding the escalation of visible homelessness in Downtown.
Successfully negotiated additional municipal funding for an expanded Navigator Outreach Program to work with street-involved individuals.
Advocated, along with other business groups, to extend or eliminate the CEBA loan repayment deadline.
Produced DHBC’s inaugural State of the Downtown report and launched it at the 2023 AGM. View the report at downtownhalifax.ca/sotd .
IDA Canada Delegation at Parliament Hill. Photo: Impact Public Affairs
Left: Paul MacKinnon being interviewed at DHBC’s 2022 Annual General Meeting. Photo: Michelle Doucette Photography
Meeting with Halifax Chief of Police, Don MacLean.
Meeting with Halifax MP Andy Fillmore and Chief of Staff Joanne Macrae.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
DHBC’s Marketing & Communications team works with our members, partners, stakeholders, event organizers, and media to get more “feet on the street.” This is done by promoting businesses, attractions, events, and more, that make Downtown Halifax a vibrant destination for everyone to enjoy.
HIGHLIGHTS
DHBC’s Event Sponsorship Program invested over $120K into 40 events that happened in Downtown Halifax. These events had a combined event attendance of over 450K.
Social Media: 139K followers (5.7% increase) and over 10M impressions across all DHBC platforms (38.2% increase).
Website: Over 420K website views on downtownhalifax.ca; with 56.6K views on the Events page alone (downtownhalifax.ca/events).
Provided grant funding of over $11K to 18 member businesses to participate as vendors in the 2023 Evergreen Festival (5 businesses) and to become official 2023 ECMA Partner Stages (13 businesses).
Ran radio, print, and digital ads with Bell Media, Discover Halifax, Curated Magazine and Guide, Neptune Theatre, SaltWire, The Coast, Eastlink, Family Fun Halifax, Sea Nova Scotia, and more.
Photo: Hal-Con Sci-Fi & Fantasy Convention, Tourism Nova Scotia & Ian Selig
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
MAKE YOUR PARKING PLAN
Partnered with Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission to offer free ferry service to almost 6K people during March Break.
Printed and distributed 30K copies of the 2023 Downtown Halifax Holiday Gift Guide that featured 104 businesses from the Downtown and Spring Garden areas. (1)
Offered free on-street parking during the holiday season and Valentine’s Day.
Ran a parking campaign to promote where to park in Downtown Halifax that brought over 25.8K views to the parking landing page on downtownhalifax.ca. (2)
Teamed up with partners around the city to help support and promote the 2023 East Coast Music Awards (ECMA), the 2023 North American Indigenous Games, and the 2024 JUNO Awards (3).
Organized the ECMA Family Fun Fest on Argyle Street that saw hundreds of people enjoy the free music and activities. (4)
Organized “The Big Sing Celebrates Canadian Music” event to commemorate The 2024 JUNO Awards with 160 people participating.
Ran summer, fall, and winter marketing campaigns promoting various things to do each season in Downtown Halifax.
Increased number of bi-weekly Downtown Halifax Member Update recipients to 1,385 members.
Working with partners including Discover Halifax, Build Nova Scotia, MP Andy Fillmore’s Office, and the Royal Canadian Navy, DHBC organized a new signature Downtown event, Halifax International Fleet Week, attracting over 100K people Downtown for the 4-day event.
Photo: Stoo Metz Photography
Photo (left): Halifax International Fleet Week 2023, Tourism Nova Scotia & Ian Selig
MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT
DHBC works to build relationships with members, be a resource for problemsolving, and advocate for common issues. We strive to enhance awareness and promotion of member benefits, provide opportunities for members to give input into existing and emerging issues, and create engagement opportunities through networking events, information sessions, workshops, and more.
As a DHBC member, you are entitled to many member programs and resources, including but not limited to:
Photo: Michelle Doucette Photography
HIGHLIGHTS
12 member events including our 2023 AGM, Holiday Social (1), First Aid/CPR training, information sessions, and DHBC Welcome Centre activations (2).
Downtown Spotlights on members written and featured on our website, social media, and in our bi-weekly Downtown Halifax Member Update. (3)
Implemented a new Association Management Software system, GrowthZone, to better host our member database, email marketing, business directory listings, and more.
Over 300 in-person member visits completed by DHBC staff.
Attended and represented DHBC at a variety of member and partner hosted events.
Targeted e-blasts and communications sent to members regarding street closures and other Downtown advisories, special events, marketing, grant opportunities, etc.
Comprehensive member survey completed with results showing increased membership awareness and engagement compared to the 2021 survey.
Photo: Stoo Metz Photography
Photo: Michelle Doucette Photography
PLACEMAKING
DHBC believes that all spaces have the potential to be “places.” We champion best practices in Downtown planning, design, management, and utilization of public spaces that inspire vibrancy in Downtown Halifax.
HIGHLIGHTS
DHBC programmed and/or funded 81 placemaking activations throughout the year.
7 projects completed through Gritty to Pretty Placemaking Grant Program worth $40.7K. Visit downtownhalifax.ca/arttour to view.
Photo: Stoo Metz Photography
Photo (left): Christian Toth Art
PLACEMAKING
DELIGHTFUL
DOWNTOWN light shows at Grafton Park from October to March, attracting over 200K spectators.
New Light Shows: Mi’kmaw History Month, Holiday Show, African Heritage Month, and Heritage Day.
Sponsored the creation of 5 murals for the 2023 Halifax Mural Festival. Maintained tree-wrapped lights across 5 locations through DELIGHTFUL DOWNTOWN.
The Blooming Seating in Granville Mall was successfully lifted to become the “Bloom” over the winter. (1)
16 sets of bistro tables and chairs were maintained in Granville Mall. Placed 28 picnic tables (including wheelchair-accessible tables) across 8 Downtown locations.
A total of 310 banners were installed for 5 different organizations who participated in the banner program. (2)
Installed 11 new snowflake diamonds alongside 135 wreaths on light poles for the holiday season.
5 Downtown Halifax Crew Members maintained Downtown infrastructure over the summer. (3)
Fulfilled 16 graffiti removal requests.
Provided funding to almost 40 member businesses with the Deck the Downtown Grant during the holiday season.
Photo: Stoo Metz Photography
Photo: Stoo Metz Photography
Photo: Michelle Doucette Photography
NAVIGATOR OUTREACH PROGRAM
Downtown Halifax’s Navigator Outreach Program offers direct support to homeless and street-involved individuals on the streets of Downtown Halifax. The initiative, entering its 16th year, is a partnership between DHBC and Spring Garden Area Business Association and is partially funded by HRM. This program is but one essential component of a needed comprehensive strategy to address homelessness in our community.
HIGHLIGHTS
542
542
individuals were supported in various ways, including:
• Finding housing for 46 people (shelters, rooming houses, permanent housing, etc.).
• Supporting 6 people in gaining employment.
• Aiding 133 people in paying for medication.
• Helping 125 people receive a new photo ID through the monthly photo identification clinic, in partnership with Halifax Public Libraries.
Received training from the Crisis Prevention Institute to train other organizations on how to deal with crisis situations in their work environment.
Speaking engagements at Dalhousie University’s School of Architecture and Planning, as well as the Design and Construction Institute.
Started a fundraising initiative raising almost $9K to date.
Handled over 75 media requests from October 2023 to March 2024.
Photo: Michelle Doucette Photography
DHBC IS ATLANTIC CANADA’S LARGEST BID
WHAT IS A BID?
A business improvement district (BID) is created when businesses in a defined area, typically a downtown or commercial main street, hold a vote and agree to create a special levy which is added to their commercial taxes. This levy goes to an organization with a mandate to conduct projects of common interest, including advocating on behalf of and promoting the businesses in the district.
DHBC WAS FORMED IN 1987
Downtown businesses voted in 1987 to establish Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC). HRM collects the levy from businesses and remits it to DHBC. Though the
levy is DHBC’s primary revenue source, the organization leverages it to raise additional revenues in the form of grants, sponsorships, project revenues, etc.
DHBC is led by a Board of Directors, consisting of members who are elected to their positions at the Annual General Meeting each June. The annual budget is created by the Board, who sets the appropriate levy amount to fund, and is then brought to HRM Council for approval.
DHBC always seeks to provide excellent value for members. Whether you are a large multi-tenant, a business owner, or an employee, we are happy to meet with you to discuss the return on investment you are getting from your DHBC membership.
Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia & Rove Productions
2024-2025 BUDGET
REVENUE
Members Levy
Sponsorships, Grants & Partnerships
$1,856,734
$275,063
$2,131,797
Carry forward from 2023-2024 $99,919
TOTAL REVENUE $2,231,716
OPERATING EXPENSES
Advocacy
Marketing & Communications
$265,155
$461,000
Member Engagement $94,480
Placemaking $452,095
Administrative $958,986
Photo (left): Discover Halifax
– SURVEY SAYS –
70%
of members believe DHBC is an effective and knowledgeable voice to represent Downtown interests.
