The Marda Loop BIA represents over 200 businesses that are the heart of Marda Loop: where life connects.
The Marda Loop BIA works to promote, improve and enliven Marda Loop as a friendly and walkable business district in the heart of southwest Calgary. Come to Marda Loop and find everything you need.
The name Marda Loop comes from two significant landmarks in local history. “Marda” comes from the former Marda Theatre (1953-1988), which was founded by Mark and Mada Jenkins at the corner of 33rd Avenue and 20th Street SW. “Marda” is a combination of the founder’s names. The “Loop” comes from the historic streetcar line that looped around the area between 1913 and 1950. It it was replaced by an electric trolley bus that went down 33rd Avenue to a turnaround loop near 22nd Street. In 1984, local businesses came together to found a “Business Revitalization Zone” or “BRZ” (nowadays called a Business Improvement Area or BIA). They held a contest to come up with a name and “Marda Loop” was chosen. Although both the streetcar and the theatre are long gone, the name and the history are still an important part of the area.
Find out more about our history at www.visitmardaloop.com/history
Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) are business organizations that work to improve and promote a district. They are established by City Council in response to an initiative by businesses in a specific area. All businesses within the boundary are automatically members of the BIA.
There are 15 BIAs in Calgary. Marda Loop BIA was one of the first, established in 1984. There are thousands of BIAs and like organizations in North America and worldwide.
The BIA is governed by a Board of Marda Loop business owners and representatives who are elected by members at an Annual General Meeting. The Board sets the BIA’s budget, which is mostly funded by an annual levy on businesses that is administered by The City of Calgary.
The BIA Tax (we prefer the term Levy) is set by the Board of business members annually to pay for BIA operations and capital expenditures. The cost is divided among all the area businesses proportionate to an Assessment of each business made by the City’s tax department. Factors that go into the Business Assessment include square footage, age and type of property. Note that the levy goes to business owners, not to the property owners. Here is a link to the City’s Business Valuation Methodology (PDF). Like property tax assessments, business assessments can be appealed. You can learn more about the BIA Tax and Assessments here.
In 2025 the Marda Loop BIA levy is $220,000, and a mill rate 2.2% of assessment value. The 2025 rate is lower than our ten-year average rate of 2.4%. The levy “mill rate” is affected primarily by the size of the revenue ask, the number of businesses sharing the load, and the pace of openings and closings. In the last year the BIA grew in number of businesses, but did not increase the levy amount, so the rate went down.
The Marda Loop Business Improvement Area includes 200 businesses, and growing
Here is a map of the boundaries (image) of the Marda Loop BIA
Here is a link to our Strategic One-Pager (2024)
If you are a Marda Loop business, find out more at the tabs below.
Member of the public? Sign up for our e-newsletter here
Marda Loop Business? Register your Marda Loop business to get connected to the BIA and be on our list: visitmardaloop.com/business-registration/ or send a note to info@visitmardaloop.com.
The BIA communicates on everything from promotional opportunities to road work to business support programs. Email is how we keep our business members informed. Make sure you are on our email list and please read our emails – don’t let them go to the junk or Spam folder!
Get in touch if you are interested in learning more about the BIA Board or one of our Committees, or about any of our programs. To find out more about how the BIA is run, and about the Annual General Meeting of business members, check out: BIA Governance and AGM
Marda Loop BIA businesses can participate in our promotions, events and other opportunities:
The Marda Loop BIA takes care of:
The Marda Loop BIA supports improvement to our area:
Bob van Wegen, Executive Director – bob@visitmardaloop.com
The BIA Board Members:
