Business Improvement Area (BIA) Assessment
A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is established by businesses in an area to jointly raise and administer funds for various projects and promotional activities within the zone throughout the year. Businesses located in a BIA will receive a BIA tax bill.
Each BIA receives its revenue from local business owners in the area. This revenue is collected by means of a Business Improvement Area Levy. The annual BIA tax bill is not requesting payment for municipal business tax, rather it is a levy for business improvement funds which The City of Calgary collects on behalf of the BIA.
Your BIA bill will include the assessed value of your premises, as well as information on the Customer Review Period, and how to file a complaint. The BIA assessment is valued using a typical net annual rental value applied to the total square footage occupied by your business.
Access your information online
You can find your BIA business detail report and a business annual Assessment & Tax Explanation Supplement by logging into Assessment Search. BIA business assessment detail reports are available to help you check, review and compare your assessment for fairness and equity.
If your business moves out of the BIA, or closes mid-year, a letter will be sent indicating your amended assessed value prior to receiving your Statement of Account.
What to do if there are changes to your business premises
If your business moves out of the BIA or closes mid-year, your business will receive a letter indicating your amended assessed value prior to receiving your Statement of Account.
It is your responsibility to advise Assessment & Tax as soon as possible if there are any changes to your business premises as those changes could impact your BIA business assessment and your BIA tax.
Call Assessment & Tax at 403-268-2888 if you:
- Increase or decrease the area of the premises occupied or used for the purpose of, or in connection with a business.
- Notify the Planning Services Centre (see Business Changes) when moving, closing or selling your business, or changing the mailing address, ownership, trade or registered name.
- Start or cease to operate a business.
- Move to a new premise or open a new premises, and/or branches of an existing business.
- Temporarily operate a business.
- Change ownership or trade names.
- Change your mailing address.
What to do if you don’t agree with your assessment
The assessed value of your business premises is related to the amount you will pay for your BIA tax . If you don’t think your premises’ BIA assessment value is an accurate reflection of what the typical net annual rental value would have been for your premises as of July 1 of the previous year, contact Assessment & Tax during the Customer Review Period indicated on your BIA tax bill.
Changes to your BIA business assessment will only be considered if an inquiry is received during the Customer Review Period.