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Dear Editor:

As you know, a healthy and vibrant downtown reflects the overall prosperity of any community and Downtowns in New Brunswick are no exception.

Downtowns are the egos of any municipality and the vitality of our community at large relies heavily on the economic prosperity of our downtown.

Downtowns in New-Brunswick are authentic. Much of a city's built heritage is centered on downtown and these places are significant to a community.

For more than 30 years now, downtowns in New-Brunswick have seen great economic development thanks to the adoption of the Business Improvement Areas Act.

As you know, a downtown is the economic backdrop of any city and in order to help our core thrive as a healthy and prosperous nucleus.

Business Improvement Areas strive to create a dynamic and vibrant environment for those who work and live in our downtown, while fostering development and recreational initiatives for the business and property owners of New Brunswick.

Downtown New Brunswick and it's BIA's works tirelessly to ensure that the downtown districts remains the heart and soul of the community.

Our goal is to make downtown a profitable place to do business by ensuring that real estate and business interests in downtown achieve their highest potential.

Achieving success is a long-term commitment & process. All successful downtowns are evolving, continuously refining their visions, focusing strategies, and working hard.

Downtowns in New Brunswick are also evolving, requiring periodic redirection of the implementation strategy to realize the principles of a new vision.

The New Brunswick government has not been very kind to our downtown organization in the past year. BIA's/Downtown's across this province did not receive any funding from the ETF for Beautification.

That is a loss of almost $800,000 to our business district. No one from government even had the courtesy to give us a call.

Moreover, downtowns represent over $1 billion in tax base to the province. We take $1 in grant money and turn it into $4-6 taxable dollars. We're a good investment.

In addition, Downtown New Brunswick request of $40,000 for funding was denied and because of the Payment-lieu-of-taxes program downtowns across New Brunswick have been denied some significant funding which mean that one our BIA'a is losing 29% of its Budget!!!!

We want to part of the Self-Sufficiency Agenda. If we truly want to transform our economy the New Brunswick Government has to realize that the Business Improvement Area model which is the purist form economic development model in our province want to be partners.

Property and business owners are taking their hard-earned monies from their own pockets to improve their communities.

Every day Downtowns in New Brunswick create a competitive business environment that encourages entrepreneurial activity, investment, innovation and growth while managing our economic, social and environmental resources for sustainability.

Daniel Allain

President

Downtown New-Brunswick