Connecting Businesses – Building Community

Central Lonsdale is one of North Vancouver’s most vibrant and diverse commercial corridors. It is home to independent businesses, professional services, restaurants, cultural institutions, and growing residential density. With that growth comes opportunity and responsibility. The Central Lonsdale Business Improvement Area (CeLo) is created to ensure our business community has a strong, unified voice and the tools needed to thrive.

A Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a non-profit society led by local business and property owners. It allows our community to work collectively on priorities that no single business can tackle alone such as safety, cleanliness, advocacy, marketing, and coordination with the City. BIAs exist across British Columbia and have proven to be one of the most effective ways to strengthen commercial districts, improve street conditions, and increase economic resilience.

For Central Lonsdale, the need is clear. Businesses are navigating construction impacts, traffic and parking changes, rising operating costs, and evolving customer patterns. At the same time, major City initiatives including the Great Street Project are reshaping how Lonsdale Avenue functions today and into the future. CeLo ensures that businesses and property owners are at the table, informed, and represented as these decisions are made.

CeLo’s focus will be practical and action-oriented. Our priorities include Clean & Safe initiatives, business support and retention, marketing and promotions, streetscape and beautification projects, and clear two-way communication between businesses and City Hall. We will also play a key advocacy role on curbside access, construction coordination, and public realm improvements that directly affect day-to-day business operations.

Property owners benefit as well. Safer, cleaner streets support stronger tenancies, long-term property values, and a more attractive investment environment. A shared voice reduces the burden on individual owners and businesses, while coordinated planning leads to better outcomes for the entire district.

In December 2025, the City of North Vancouver approved a five-year BIA budget totaling $600,000 and confirmed that the petition process will begin in early January 2026. If the petition is successful, CeLo will move into full operations by March 2026 within the approved Central Lonsdale boundaries — from north of Keith Road to Highway 1 along Lonsdale Avenue, and east to St. Georges and west to Chesterfield.

CeLo is committed to accountability, transparency, and collaboration. Annual budgets and audited financial statements will be reviewed by the City, and programs will be shaped by ongoing feedback from businesses and property owners. This is a long-term investment in the health, vitality, and identity of Central Lonsdale.

Together, we can build a cleaner, safer, more connected, and more resilient business district — one that supports today’s businesses while shaping a strong future for the community.

The Central Lonsdale BIA Board