Important Info

Call for Director Nominations

The Strathcona BIA Board of Directors actively works to build a thriving, mixed-use, and resilient local economy here in Strathcona. We are currently seeking business members with particular experience and skills in governance and marketing. Members with a diversity of experience and interests in areas like placemaking, local economic development, community safety, and a passion for Strathcona, are also encouraged to apply.

How we work

The Board can have between 8 and 12 directors. The Board is made up of 12 board seats. All directors must meet the needs and expectations of the role and responsibilities as outlined in the Election Guidelines. There are four director seats up for election in 2024 (three directors have terms ending in 2024 and there is one vacancy on the board).

The length of a term for an SBIA Board Director is two years. Our meetings take place monthly for one and a half hours over lunch and are currently hosted in person. Board Members can be property owners, business tenants, or an authorized representative of an SBIA member property or business. Property owners must make up the majority of the Board per SBIA bylaws.

How to apply

Interested members can download the SBIA Candidate Package here or call the SBIA office to request a paper package for mail out. All candidate packages must be completed and received either by email or dropped off in person at the SBIA office, no later than noon on July 17, 2024. All candidates are subject to the Election Guidelines (as laid out in your candidate package). 

SBIA office: 1220 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1S6

Hours: 9:30AM – 4:30PM Monday to Friday

Email: info@strathconabia.com

Phone: 604-285-2727

If you’ve never explored Strathcona’s gallery district before, this February is the perfect time to dive in. Vancouver Art Walk offers immersive self-guided tours in the Vancouver Arts District of Strathcona and Chinatown, with events happening the first Saturday of every month. Follow their carefully crafted map and discover a diverse selection of contemporary art from acclaimed local, international and Indigenous artists. 

The urban industrial district of Strathcona is home to some of the most dynamic and groundbreaking galleries Vancouver has to offer. With Lunar New Year around the corner, what better time to immerse yourself, get inspired, and take in the art scene in the cultural and historic areas of Strathcona and Chinatown. The opportunity to engage with the work of several Asian-Canadian artists at the gallery exhibitions this month is a special way of honoring the rich tapestry of Asian-Canadian cultural identity in the community. Read on for some of the exciting exhibitions you’ll find along the Vancouver Art Walk in the neighbourhood this month.

First Saturday with Vancouver Art Walk

This Saturday February 3, the several galleries will have exhibitions open for the Vancouver Art Walk.

Outsiders and Others at 716 East Hastings will be hosting an opening reception for their first exhibition of 2024, Cour d’Blax-Neeck: The Aitcheverse from 2pm-4pm.

THIS Gallery at 268 Keefer will also be hosting an opening reception from 12pm-4pm for Re-Imagining Chinatown, a new solo exhibition by Vancouver artist/illustrator Donna Seto. 

Immersive Art Installation Coming to Strathcona to Celebrate Lunar New Year

Where I’m From Exhibition Dates at Gallery 881: February 10 – March 9, 2024

Make sure to return to Strathcona for more immersive art debuting the second weekend in February. Opening on February 10th to kick off Lunar New Year, Where I’m From is a site-specific installation at Gallery 881 by Vancouver based artists, Megan Kwan and Jeremy Jude Lee. Featuring a collection of 55 photographs, the exhibit explores themes of (be)longing captured during Vancouver’s summer time in conversation with physical objects and locations nostalgic to the Asian-Canadian experience. 

Set in Strathcona’s distinctive neighbourhood, Where I’m From collages cinematic photography with video and everyday artifacts, rediscovering the lesser-seen beauties of Vancouver while highlighting the mutual influence of Asian culture in a Western World. The Strathcona BIA is proud to be supporting this collaborative exhibition that the artists’ hope will bridge local artists with Strathcona businesses to foster a culture of belonging and community support for creative entrepreneurs. Participating businesses include: Gallery 881, Printmaker Studio, Sunrise Soya Foods, Sunrise Market, Coolite Bamboo Products, CINCO Drink Co, Allegra – Vancouver, and Alterior/A Living Taste.  

Admission to the gallery exhibition is free and regular operating hours at Gallery 881 are from Tuesday to Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday from 12pm-5pm. Gallery 881 is proudly part of the Vancouver Art Walk initiative, so be sure to pick up a gallery tour map and unlock the doors to a world of creativity in Strathcona and Chinatown.

Strathcona is a hub for creative agencies of all kinds.

From branding and marketing to VFX and animation there are so many unique businesses to discover that work within this space. 

You can find at least a dozen businesses located in our Vancouver neighbouhood that can get the job done for almost all of your creative needs. Keep reading for an extensive list of creative agencies in Strathcona – we hope you discover something new!

If you are a creative agency in Strathcona and would like to be added to the list please contact info@strathconabia.com

weareskeletoncrew.ca

A creative studio specializing in brand and communications. Whether they’re building a brand from the ground up, or creating a campaign that makes one famous, crafting ideas that have real depth and relevance is what puts wind in their sails.

mondaycreative.co

Brand and marketing strategists, writers, and designers who’ve honed their craft at fast-moving direct-to-consumer brands and agencies. They’ve come together to help boundary-pushing performance brands reach new heights. 

burnkit.com

Burnkit is brand and digital. Driven by ideas, inspired by technology, and passionate about elevating design, they are a creative studio that works with best-in-class brands across a variety of sectors and industries. They provide services for interactive, brand development, graphic identity, packaging and print design.

form3.com

At Form3, industrial designers work together with product engineers, resulting in a powerful union of technical and aesthetic expertise. They share a passion for design and a desire to make the world a better place through long-lasting, high-quality products. Their diverse team of international designers come from a mixture of disciplines, including Industrial Design, Product Design, and various engineering backgrounds.

wethecollective.com

We the Collective helps entertainment brands better understand, engage, and relate to youth audiences through digital experiences. They create fun, educational and immersive marketing experiences that are never about the hard sell, and always about connecting to the brand. Specializing in Video Games, Toys, Movies & Television, and Music. A digital-first creative agency.

higharchy.com

Brand builders, believers in the magic of an idea and driven to win. They are people who love what they do, where they do it and that their work is driven by purpose. They build and invest in cannabis brands that give back to people and the planet.

goldtooth.com

Goldtooth is an award-winning creative agency, production company, animation, live action and VFX studio, based in Vancouver, BC.

fuseinteractive.ca

A seasoned group of planners, designers & developers with years of experience making simple and complex websites & applications (and everything in between).

thebannermen.com

The Bannermen design banner ads for websites, social media & programmatic advertising campaigns. They are the digital display, MPU & rich media specialists. With offices in London, UK and Vancouver, Canada, they have not one but two offices ready to help you get your digital display campaigns out the door.

hotsoupgroup.com

Hot Soup Marketing Group is a vertically integrated network of creative teams, aligned to help you navigate today’s complex marketing systems. As a group, their mission is simple: they build relationships with clients to drive progress, process, and change. Hot Soup Marketing Group provides its clients with strategic marketing services, branding and campaign management. But more importantly, they believe in nurturing a relationship that fosters growth.

domain7.com

Domain7 is a change agency fostering innovation through people-centric methods. Their vision is to co-create a more empathetic world. They offer a holistic set of services to achieve meaningful organizational change, including digital transformation, facilitation and workshops, organization design, and digital civic engagement.

wearejunction.com

Junction builds digital from the inside out. Services include digital strategy, social media strategy, training program development, workshops, coaching, and team development.

Every week, Junction authors The Brief, a thoughtful email about what’s happening in digital, what you should (or shouldn’t) be paying attention to, and why it matters. Visit their website to learn more.

From artist and maker spaces to meeting rooms and more here are 4 co-working spaces operating in Strathcona.

Co-working space and space sharing in Strathcona are on the rise. As the freelance economy grows in our city, so does the selection of uniquely wonderful co-working spaces.

Strathcona has long attracted those that are adaptable, inventive, non-conformist and genuinely creative. If you are a freelancer, entrepreneur, maker, or artist looking for the perfect workspace to build something meaningful, one of these Strathcona spaces may be for you. 

Here is a breakdown of the different features and amenities you’ll find.

If you are a co-working space in Strathcona and would like to be added to the list please contact info@strathconabia.com

Location: 308-877 E Hastings

Inviting, clean, and comfortable, MakeShift Work Space is a beautiful thirds floor space that gets flooded with natural light and boasts great views of the City and mountains. The space is designed to inspire productivity (think defined quiet work spaces, functional meeting rooms, private phone booths) while also encouraging members to connect in the social areas throughout the space.

Size:4250 sq ft

Services: shared or dedicated desk,  Private offices, virtual office, meeting space, event space rental

Special Features:

• Managed reception
• Super-fast wifi
• Innovative technology 
• 24/7 access
• Sit-stand desks
• Printer/copier/scanner
• Secure Bike Storage
• Equipped Kitchen

Pricing: https://makeshiftworkspace.com/coworking/

Location: 209-1275 Venables Street

Werklab is a hub for personal and professional development. With a focus on integrative wellness, Werklab provides members with a host of services and resources to ensure they are living their best lives all day every day. The space is carefully curated to allow spirituality, mindfulness, and wellness to flourish and in turn, inspire productivity and growth. 

Size: 3800 Sq ft  

Services: shared and dedicated desk space, private office, event space rental, photo studio rental, meeting space

Special Features:

• 24/7 access
• Mediation zone
• Daily wellness class
• Change room and beauty bar
• Aromatherapy station
• Secure bike room
• Printer
• Organized lunch service
• Discounts at partner businesses

Pricing: http://www.werklab.com/

Location: 780 E Cordova St

MakerLabs is a maker space in Vancouver that provides the tools, space and skills to make almost anything. The communal areas include a wood shop, metal shop, CNC router table, laser cutters, sewing machines, Design Lab with 3D printer, and electronics area. Each tool and work area has corresponding safety and orientation classes. In addition, MakerLabs has a coworking space, the CoLab, where members can work together in a quiet space. MakerLabs is a space of collective innovation with several access options, from drop-ins to full private studio space. 

Size: 42,000 sq ft

Services:, shared tool and work area space, private studio, meeting space, event space rental 

Special Features:

• Classes and Workshops
• Front Desk Reception (12pm-9pm)
• 24/7 access 
• Physical mailing address
• Communal social space
• Cooking space
• Tool Dashboard (to check status of tools)

Pricing: https://www.makerlabs.com/membership

Location: 552 + 554 Clark Drive

All are invited to come to play. SPACE seeks to foster a culture of innovation where connections between members generate new possibilities for projects and allow for ideas to become realized. The people at SPACE represent a diversity of disciplines, specialties and practices, including industrial design, biotech, woodworking, textile design and many more.

Services: Shared space access, designated desk, larger designated space for teams

Special Features:

• 24/7 Access
• Use of shared spaces
• Use of hand tools
• Storage for your tools and basic supplies
• Discounts at partner businesses
• Event space opportunities
• Emerging Artist Residency

Pricing: https://www.spacetospace.co/

Perspectives from our Executive Director

The Strathcona BIA is embarking on a strategic planning process centered on the future vision for economic development in the district. We caught up with our Executive Director, Vincent Kwan, to gain his perspectives on the exciting work ahead.

“Among the different conversations I have been having with SBIA members, the best description I have come across about Strathcona is that it is an imperfect yet resilient district that never stops evolving in order to adapt. It is a place where we can find points of tension between people who come with their own ideals, often looking towards the same goal but sometimes may diverge on the path to take. Ultimately, Strathcona is a district that can accommodate diversity.

The diversity of people and businesses within Strathcona is one of our key assets as an urban industrial district and an aspiring complete community.  This diversity is rooted in Strathcona’s unique history and continues to be shaped by entrepreneurs, investors, residents, planners, artists, community activists, political officials and, of course, the people who fuel the local economy as part of the workforce. This diversity of businesses and workforce is the economic driver of not only Strathcona but the local economy of the city and larger region of metro Vancouver. This diversity is what differentiates the Strathcona district and what anchors its competitive position for employee retention and market access. However, one must not lose sight of the fact that diversity, on its own, does not guarantee health and prosperity. Diversity is not the end goal but, instead, an essential condition for a resilient local economy that can benefit the entire community.

This diversity is a gift, but it is not permanent if we do not invest into caring for it. Nurturing this diversity requires investment into largely three areas of work. Firstly, we have to develop a continuous and deep understanding of the key economic drivers (people, organizations, infrastructures, policies) that make up this diversity. Only by fully appreciating the fundamental make-up of the economic drivers can we determine what we need to protect and where we need to attract investment. Secondly, we need to be strategic. We have to prioritize where we focus our development efforts so that Strathcona’s local economy can connect to the priorities, policies and potential of the wider city and regional economy. Lastly, we need to be effective in telling the Strathcona story as an urban industrial district and an economic driver for regional industry clusters. We need to be articulating our vision, goals and the values that Strathcona brings so that we can further attract entrepreneurs, investment and talents to the district and to continue to add to the diversity of this urban industrial district.

I often view Strathcona as a microcosm of the City of Vancouver. The tensions found in Strathcona also manifest in a similar fashion in the city and across the metro Vancouver region. On the same level, the economic potential and constraints of Strathcona also point to the opportunities and challenges of the city and region with inaction being our biggest collective threat in the near term. If Strathcona is an indicator for Vancouver’s performance, I am undeniably optimistic about the future while staying realistic and pragmatic towards the range of issues that are part and parcel of an imperfect society. 

In the next 12 months, our team at SBIA looks forward to the chance of working closely with our members through a visioning and planning process as we strive to define our district’s economic development priorities. Participation, input, ideas and guidance from Strathcona BIA members will be critical in this process. I can’t wait to get to work.”  

A Year In Review

Our commercial district placebrand celebrates all the people and businesses that make Strathcona different and exceptional. Our marketing and promotional efforts over the last year have focused on unique campaigns across digital channels to continue building district brand awareness, promote district businesses and engage the local community, and create a culture of pride in the district among businesses and visitors alike. Through storytelling and place activations, we showcase what our members do to make Strathcona a vibrant and resilient community. Here’s how we’ve been bringing Strathcona to the hearts and minds of people across the Lower Mainland, communicating our unique strengths as a place to work, live, play, and invest.

Here’s the high-level breakdown of impacts we’ve achieved.

400 banners maintained

20K website visitors

96 unique businesses featured across digital channels

8 promotional campaigns

Dine Strathcona media coverage earned 13.4 million impressions

Launched inaugural Strathcona Brewery Week

54 original videos achieved 137K views

$24,825 invested in community sponsorships

Website and Directory

Our website showcases the distinct character of our commercial district and draws people in to discover something different in Strathcona. We continue to update our comprehensive member directory, featuring all the businesses in Strathcona across our varied sectors. The directory supports the digital presence and searchability of our member businesses online. In the last year our website had over 20,000 visits by over 9200 unique users. Our new website users are up 40% from the same period a year prior.

District and Member Features

We’re capturing and sharing more about our members through original photography, video footage, and digital storytelling content than ever before. In the last year we’ve featured 96 unique Strathcona BIA business members across our channels, which is up 33% from the previous year. In that time we’ve seen a 46% increase in followers on our Instagram channel.

We’ve put a strong focus on creating engaging video content, where we’ve had the most successful organic reach to new audiences. In the last year we created and published 54 original videos and Reels, and four collaborative Reels, across our social media channels. Our original video content achieved 137,121 cumulative views across our social platforms with an average engagement rate of 5.3% and the collaborative Reels with partner influencers reached 191,049 views. We also share and promote our members and the happenings in our business district on Twitter, where our tweets made over 67,400 impressions over the last year. A highlight of our member features is our Meet the Maker series, featuring artisans and makers across multiple sectors operating in Strathcona.    

Campaign Highlights

Our November 2021 Dine Strathcona campaign brought together 19 businesses in Strathcona’s hospitality sector to showcase the neighbourhood’s vibrant culinary scene while raising awareness and funds for H.A.V.E. Culinary Training Society. HAVE provides accessible food service training and employment opportunities to members of the community who face barriers to employment. The campaign launched with a media event for food and lifestyle media personnel and influencers, and resulted in 27 pieces of traditional media coverage, earning 13.4 million impressions or a publicity value of $124K. The social media posts about the campaign reached an estimated 647K people. In total over 1580 feature dishes were sold during the two week time-frame by participating businesses, which amounted to approximately $26,500 in cumulative sales. We were able to reach our goal of providing a $5000 community sponsorship on behalf of the Strathcona hospitality sector to HAVE Culinary Training Society, providing funding to enroll new students in HAVE’s training program and help secure job placements for new graduates in Vancouver restaurants.      

During the holidays we focused on lifting up our retail sector members through publishing unique Strathcona-based gift guides, and running a 12 Days of Giving campaign of amazing prize giveaways on our Instagram channel. We also partnered with BIA’s across Vancouver on the Gift Big, Shop Small, Stock Joy Charity Auction, where curated stockings of incredible gifts from each district were auctioned off in support of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.  

In January 2022, we featured Strathcona establishments with special offerings for the Lunar New Year. We partnered with three foodie influencers to produce creative Instagram Reels which reached over 190K unique accounts, with an engagement rate of 6.7%. This approach resulted in highly engaging content from diverse voices and celebrated the rich Asian heritage and culture in our community. 

In February we took part in the BIA-wide Love Your City campaign, which encouraged Vancouverites to get out to participating neighbourhoods, explore, and find LOVE in our city. MakerLabs in Strathcona helped produce custom sweethearts with messages of love and compliments that were hung up in every sub-district of Strathcona. We ran a popular local business district gift card scavenger hunt, using the hearts as hiding places and engaging audiences on social media with clues on where to find them.

For International Women’s Day we launched a Strathcona Women-Owned Business Directory and also interviewed several women entrepreneurs flourishing in Strathcona. The personal stories of these womens’ passion, hard work, and motivation behind their businesses were featured throughout the week in March on our social media channels. 

During Earth Week in April we shined a spotlight on two businesses in Strathcona doing great things in the way of slow fashion and environmentally responsible fabrics. Blackbird Fabrics offers a wide range of fabrics and supplies for sewists across the globe, with an emphasis on fabrics that are environmentally and socially responsible. Our Social Fabric is a non-profit fabric store tackling textile waste by selling donated deadstock fabric online and in-person. Our Instagram giveaway to these two businesses was one of our most popular of the year, earning over 2500 impressions and over 840 post interactions!

Throughout May we put an extra focus on highlighting member businesses in our Automotive sector. We have over 25 businesses in our community that assist with all types of motor vehicle needs. Through a creative video content campaign we shared about seven businesses in the automotive sector, bringing more attention to why Strathcona is one of the best areas in Vancouver for auto services. 

In June we launched a Strathcona Brewery Week campaign, a week-long showcase to celebrate the thriving brewery scene in Strathcona. It was a successful pilot with room to grow into an annual campaign that continues to strengthen Strathcona as a recognized brewery hub. The campaign earned coverage in Vancouver Is Awesome and The Georgia Straight, as well as over 120K impressions through a media partnership with Do604. New audiences were engaged through a Do604 giveaway, brewery trivia contest, Just Here For the Beer Radio podcast show, and engaging Reels created by the Strathcona BIA for each brewery.  

Throughout the summer we’ve been focused on promoting both member and community events in Strathcona, including the Powell Street Festival, musical concerts, Vancouver Mural Festival, and Bike to Shop.   

Community Sponsorships

Fostering a sustainable and flourishing cultural community is important to us. We continue to provide community sponsorships year over year so that other local organizations serving the economic resilience of the district are supported. For the 2021/2022 fiscal year those included The Powell Street Festival, Eastside Culture Crawl, Coldest Night of the Year, HAVE Culinary Training Society, HUB Cycling Bike To Shop, Monstercat Compound, Vancouver Japanese Language School, and Carnegie Outreach Centre for a National Indigenous People’s Day community initiative.

Looking Ahead

Since launching our commercial district placebrand in late summer of 2020, our marketing initiatives have been focused on building district awareness and targeting visitors to come discover the area and the businesses here. Investing in a strong commercial placebrand has been an important foundation of distinguishing ourselves from other districts and communicating our unique strengths as a place to work, live, play, and invest. As we continue to take measure of both member needs and the work of developing the economic vision of the district, our marketing efforts will continue to evolve and improve as we reflect on the target audiences and how we reach them. We plan to put more attention on developing campaigns that target workforce development and labour retention, as well as specific business sector retention, attraction, and investment programs. A strong place identity for our commercial district will continue to play an important role in these efforts, in addition to placemaking initiatives that continue to enhance and activate public space in Strathcona.

A Year In Review

A huge part of what we do at the Strathcona BIA is deliver on programs that improve maintenance, cleanliness, sanitation and safety across the district. Our programs have been developed to support the wellbeing of the businesses and people in the district, based on the needs and feedback we hear from members. Helping to keep our streets clean and safe, and buildings graffiti-free are part of our core services to Strathcona BIA members. We contribute to mural restoration and maintenance, and bring vibrancy to the community through funding new mural projects in Strathcona. This past year, we also supported members to make their own exterior property enhancements through our Safe and Welcome grant program to encourage a safer and more welcoming community for all. We continue to advocate for more resources and external sources of funding so that SBIA members alone aren’t being asked to address the cleanliness, sanitation, and graffiti challenges in the area. Some examples include graffiti abatement grants from the City of Vancouver and continued investment and accountability from the City for street cleaning resources.

Here’s the high-level breakdown of impacts we’ve achieved.

4600+ graffiti tags removed

2738 street cleaning hours

7000+ square feet of high-level graffiti removals

1640+ bags of garbage removed

12+ murals maintained

2220+ needles removed

$35,000 in graffiti abatement funding secured

5899 hours dedicated to community safety

46 private property debris pick-ups

40+ safety reports logged each day

Graffiti Removal & Graffiti Removal Pilot Program

Graffiti continues to be a challenge in Strathcona and across the city. Over the last year we saw the volume and size of graffiti increase and upper elevations of buildings and murals being targeted more often. This year we successfully advocated for and received another $35,000 in funding from the City of Vancouver to put towards graffiti abatement for a total of $70,000 over the last two years. With the help of the abatement grant we were able to add additional capacity to our graffiti removal program in May 2022. Working with our graffiti removal program service provider, Goodbye Graffiti, we added more capacity for removals through the summer months, with additional hours dedicated to a Strathcona-specific graffiti removal vehicle. 

Over the last year we removed over 4600 tags and 7000 square feet of high-level tags. In the first month of our pilot program we almost doubled our capacity, removing over 27,000 square feet of graffiti tags, compared to an average of 14,000 square feet of removals the months prior to the pilot. Reported tags are being removed faster which over time can help to deter prolific taggers from targeting our district as frequently. Strathcona BIA members continue to receive unlimited removals of tags 12 feet and under, and all labour, supply and removal costs are covered within the scope of the program, saving time and money for our members! 

Street Cleaning & Private Property Debris Pick-Up

We partner with Coast Mental Health, United We Can, and Mission Possible Maintenance to provide street cleaning services in the Strathcona BIA district. These impactful partnerships create inclusive job opportunities for local people in our community. Between all program partners, team members have picked up over 1640 bags of litter, and 2220 needles across the entire district over the last year, working over 2738 hours or an average of 52 hours per week. Our teams are here to keep the area clean and support members each day. 

Additional street cleaning funding is provided by the City through the 2022 Street Cleaning Grant Program. For the Downtown Eastside and Strathcona neighbourhoods, this results in additional micro-cleaning shifts each week across the district. This allows the Strathcona BIA to provide more resources to other sanitation programs like our Private Property Debris Pick-up program. We helped complete 46 private property debris pick-ups this last year and make daily reports to VanConnect for debris in lanes and on public property, saving members money in removal fees, plus their valuable time.

Community Safety

Members can call 604-789-4143, seven days a week from 8am to 6pm to reach our community safety team, who dedicated 5899 hours to enhancing safety for SBIA members, customers and community members over the past year. Everyday our compassionate patrol team is on the ground in the district, responding quickly to member needs and connecting with community members. The team currently divides their time between both vehicle patrols and foot patrols, and play a huge role in reporting debris and other maintenance-related issues throughout the district. The team works to keep the area clean and safe and spend their time responding to member calls for service, conducting hotspot checks through the district, assisting with emergency services and reporting debris and graffiti. The data and reports gathered by the team helps us to keep institutional partners accountable, and advocate for additional safety and sanitation resources where needed across the district. We are consistently working toward ensuring our approach to community safety is responsible, valued, and holistic.

Murals: Restoration, Maintenance, and New Projects

We’ve continued to invest in mural restoration and upkeep. We repaired and refreshed over 12 murals this year, and remain invested in ensuring murals in Strathcona are well maintained. We’re also excited to have brought new murals to the community in partnership with Vancouver Mural Festival and local property owners. At 1295 Frances Street, artist Caleb Ellison-Dysart created a mural piece called miskinâhk, an ode to Turtle Island, the name various Indigenous nations have always called “North America” since time immemorial. The artist hopes the mural will serve as inspiration to take care of Turtle Island and all its inhabitants, and to not forget our responsibility to the life around us. In total, four new murals came to Clark Drive this year as part of Vancouver Mural Festival, adding a whole new level of vibrancy to this corridor. In addition, our twelve tree planters in and around East Hastings were officially refreshed with a new mural design titled Sacred Mountains by artist Zac George. We are proud to be a part of supporting more vibrant murals throughout Strathcona, and in particular focusing on uplifting Indigenous artists and dedicating more visual space in Strathcona to their impactful work.

Safe and Welcoming Grant

In July of 2021 we launched the Safe and Welcoming grant, after hearing from members that more investment in environmental safety is a priority. The goal of the program was to help our members make safety and beautification investments that will attract people to the area and create a more safe and welcoming community for all. We approved close to $8000 in matching grants for eight separate projects, which resulted in a total community investment of over $19,000. From facade improvements, to new outdoor patio builds, to new awnings and signage, it was fantastic to see business and property owners take initiative to invest in these improvements with the help of the Safe and Welcoming Grant.

What We’re Up To

The Strathcona BIA is embarking on a strategic planning process centered on the future vision for economic development in the district, with a focus on the usage and protection of industrial and commercial lands in the area. 

A little more context

Strathcona is known as a unique urban industrial district, thanks to a diverse mix of commercial uses and zoning options, its proximity to the downtown core, and the existing array of businesses and mixed-use assets in the area. Different competing socio-economic factors and business trends present future challenges and opportunities for Strathcona. These range from tremendous development pressure, the loss of industrial lands, affordability of both residential and commercial spaces, sense of safety, and the condition of the public realm, to name a few. A strong economic vision and implementation plan will help ensure the Strathcona BIA plays an effective role in industrial and commercial lands protection and attracting investment in both established and emerging industry clusters to the district.

Project Timeline

We plan to achieve this work in three phases, involving engagement with our membership along each step of the way.

Phase 1 – Setting a Baseline 

Summer 2022

In this research and analysis phase, we’ll gain an in-depth view of the current state of Strathcona as an urban industrial district. We’ll identify political, socio-economic, and technological drivers, and determine trends impacting future opportunities and threats relevant to the economic development of our district. In this phase we will engage with both subject matter experts and Strathcona BIA members through focus groups and one-on-one interviews, as well as conduct a zoning assessment and asset mapping of the district to identify community strengths and resources. 

Phase 2 – Developing the Vision 

Fall 2022 – Spring 2023

In this phase we’ll determine the key directions for a local economic development vision for Strathcona as an urban industrial district. The vision will take into consideration everything we learned in phase one, along with municipal and regional priorities around industrial land uses, emerging key industry clusters, critical success factors, and identified challenges and barriers. This phase will also focus on in-depth engagement and feedback from Strathcona BIA members through a range of online and in-person activities. Ultimately we also want to articulate Strathcona BIA’s role and responsibility in the implementation of a long term economic development vision for the area, and the benefits for both existing and future businesses of the district.  

Phase 3 – Implementation Planning 

Spring 2023 – Summer 2023

The implementation plan of the economic development vision will define key objectives and the strategies and programs required to achieve those objectives. The implementation plan will define a timeline and budget for the work, areas that may require new investment, important strategic partnerships, and key performance measurement indicators.   

Do you have further questions or want to get involved?

Please reach out to our Executive Director Vincent Kwan at vincent@strathconabia.com with any questions you may have or if you wish to contribute your input on the project. We look forward to working with SBIA members from all sectors to shape the future of Strathcona. 

Call for Director Nominations

The Strathcona BIA Board of Directors actively works to build a thriving, mixed-use, and resilient local economy here in Strathcona. We are currently seeking business members with particular experience and skills in governance and marketing. Members with a diversity of experience and interests in areas like placemaking, local economic development, community safety, HR, and a passion for Strathcona, are also encouraged to apply.

How we work

The Board can have between 8 and 12 directors. Following the 2022 AGM, the Board is currently made up of 11 board seats, and this number of directors will be confirmed at the 2023 AGM by a members’ resolution. All directors must meet the needs and expectations of the role and responsibilities as outlined in the Election Guidelines. There are seven director seats up for election in 2023 (five directors have terms ending in 2023 and there are two vacancies on the board).

The length of a term for an SBIA Board Director is two years. Our meetings take place monthly for one and half hours over lunch and are currently hosted in person. Board Members can be property owners, business tenants, or an authorized representative of an SBIA member property or business. Property owners must make up the majority of the Board per SBIA bylaws.

How to apply

Interested members can download the SBIA Candidate Package here or call the SBIA office to request a paper package for mail out. All candidate packages must be completed and received either by email or dropped off in person at the SBIA office, no later than noon on July 17, 2023. All candidates are subject to the Election Guidelines (as laid out in your candidate package). Candidates are also required to comply with the procedures governing the nominations as set by the Elections Commitee. The Elections Committee is requiring that all candidates meet with a member of the Elections Committee and the SBIA Executive Director over Zoom or in-person in order for their nomination to be valid.

SBIA office: 1220 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1S6

Hours: 9:30AM – 4:30PM Monday to Friday

Email: info@strathconabia.com

Phone: 604-285-2727