Business retention before business attraction.

Fast and predictable approvals

Show how long it takes to open a business.

A complete, straightforward business-licence application should receive a City decision within one week. Commercial tenant improvements should also have published service standards.

• Publish a clear checklist before a tenant signs a lease.
• Confirm zoning early.
• Assign one City contact to coordinate the file.
• Run reviews in parallel where possible.
• Carry forward lawful approvals and infrastructure when a new business takes over substantially the same use, wherever legally possible.

A City that says it is open for business should be able to show how long it takes to open one.

Measure the cost of delay

City delay has a cost, even when it never appears in the City budget.

A business can burn rent, wages and working capital while waiting for approvals. City reporting should show where delay occurs and how often applicants must repeat work.

• Total elapsed time
• City-controlled delay
• Review cycles and repeat submissions
• Customer feedback
• Percentage of files meeting service standards

Business-impact checks

Measure the tradeoffs before and after changing a commercial street.

Before major changes to parking, loading, vehicle access, curb allocation, streetscape design or prolonged construction, publish a short business-impact assessment. After implementation, measure what actually happened.

A business-impact review does not automatically veto a transportation or public-space project. It ensures Council sees the tradeoffs beforehand and the results afterward.

Before City Hall changes access to a commercial street, it should know what businesses depend on that access and measure what happens afterward.

Local Business Health Report

Publish a clear picture of whether local businesses are thriving or being displaced.

The City should publish a full Local Business Health Report annually, supported by quarterly service and permitting measures.

Businesses that can afford to stay

A vibrant city needs businesses that can afford to stay.

• Encourage small, adaptable commercial units and narrow storefronts where appropriate.
• Allow flexible low-impact uses.
• Use stable and transparent terms in City-owned commercial premises.
• Support temporary storefronts and test spaces.
• Explore relocation or return opportunities for established businesses displaced by redevelopment.
• Evaluate lawful provincial tax-relief tools where appropriate.
• Advocate for better commercial-lease disclosure and transparency.

The City cannot impose residential-style rent controls on private commercial leases.

Evening city

Bring Lonsdale’s energy around the corner.

Spread more of the Shipyards’ energy through Lonsdale and selected commercial areas without defining vibrancy as alcohol-oriented nightlife.

• Evening cafes, restaurants, dessert shops and independent retail
• Small live-music, comedy, arts and performance spaces
• Night markets and family-friendly programming
• Pop-ups and temporary storefronts
• Better lighting and public space
• Practical location and noise rules that protect nearby residents

On selected side streets, consider housing above small flexible commercial spaces. Do not impose ground-floor commercial where demand will not support it.

Tourism

Treat the Quay and Shipyards as a gateway, not an endpoint.

• Improve wayfinding and connections up Lonsdale.
• Promote local businesses and coordinate events.
• Give visitors reasons to explore Lower and Central Lonsdale and other commercial areas.
• Support resident-hosted visitor accommodation where it does not remove ordinary long-term rental housing.

The objective is more visitor spending in local businesses without worsening housing availability for residents.