Member Programs and Resources

Members, this page is for you. Below you’ll find everything you need to make the most of your DHBC Membership. To access your member account, please log in.

DHBC Member Programs & Resources

  • Current Business Opportunities

    Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) is currently seeking proposals from qualified consultants to facilitate and develop a new strategic plan to guide our organization over the next 4 years (April 1,2026 to March 31, 2030). This plan will help focus our efforts and maximize our impact, as we seek to bring vibrancy and prosperity to the Downtown, while maintaining the organization’s ongoing relevance. 

    Get all the details here.

  • Bi-weekly Member Newsletter

    Every other Wednesday, our team compiles a list of relevant news for and about our members. 

    What's happening at your business? 

    Did someone celebrate a milestone? Receive an award? 

    Is there a new business opening up or moving location? 

    Were you featured in a publication or on the news recently? 

    If you are a DHBC Member and have some news to share, please contact jayme@downtownhalifax.ca. 

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    Bi-weekly Member Newsletter schedule for the rest of 2025:

    October 15

    October 29

    November 12

    November 26

    December 10

    ...and due to the Christmas break, the last Bi-weekly Member Newsletter of 2025 will go out Tuesday, December 22!

  • Downtown Directory Listing

    As a DHBC Member, your business will automatically be featured in our Downtown Directory. Please log in to your member account to update your listing, add logos, images, links, etc. You can also update your internal contact information here to ensure DHBC is connecting with the appropriate person(s) at your business.

    If you need assistance please email, colleen@downtownhalifax.ca.

  • Marketing and Campaigns

    DHBC runs several promotions and campaigns throughout the year. As part of these promotions, DHBC develops materials such as: social graphics, posters, brochures, window decals, prize packages, and more. With certain campaigns, there can be opportunities for members to take part. 

    Current Marketing Campaign: Down to Downtown 

    Ongoing Campaign - Pups on Patios 

    If there are specific DHBC branded materials you would like to display at your business, please contact Allana MacDonald, allana@downtownhalifax.ca. 

  • DHBC's Welcome Centre

    The DHBC headquarters, located at 1546 Barrington Street, is not just an office - it is also a 'Welcome Centre' where visitors can come and learn about Downtown Halifax. If you are a DHBC Member and would like to use the DHBC Welcome Centre to showcase your business or special promotion, host a networking event, or organize a special activity, please apply here. 

  • Member Events

    DHBC offers ongoing member networking events, information sessions (with Halifax Regional Police, with big events coming to Downtown etc.), professional development and training opportunities, and the ever-popular DHBC Member Holiday Social.

    This year's holiday social will be Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - more details to come!

    If you aren’t already receiving invitations to our member events and wish to, please get in touch with colleen@downtownhalifax.ca. 

  • Event Sponsorship

    DHBC offers a limited number of sponsorships for events that contribute to our strategic goals. DHBC’s Marketing Action Team, comprised of members and DHBC staff, reviews and evaluates all sponsorship opportunities against specific criteria including event attendance, impact of DHBC’s sponsorship on the event, impact on the Downtown community, and more. Events must be taking place within the Downtown Halifax Business Commission district to be eligible to apply.

    *please note - sponsorship for 2025 is offically closed!

    Learn more here: Event Sponsorship Program.

  • Promotion

    Do you have a special event or activity that your business or organization is hosting? Submit your event(s) and promotion(s) through our Event Submission Form to be included in our popular events calendar. Our events calendar automatically pulls through to our twice-weekly public newsletter, ‘What’s Happening This Week’ and ‘What’s Happening This Weekend’, which gets shared publicly to over 6,000 people. You can subscribe to DHBC’s events newsletter in the footer of our website.

  • Advocacy

    DHBC provides our membership with a collective voice at the table on all major issues concerning Downtown Halifax, including planning and development, urban mobility, heritage preservation, and more. We speak directly to all levels of government, the media, and other stakeholders on our member's behalf. These members range from small entrepreneurs to large, multinational firms. All have a vested interest in the economic prosperity of the Downtown core. Learn more about our advocacy efforts here.

  • Grant Programs

    DHBC offers various grant programs exclusively for members. Recent grant opportunities have included 'March is for Music' and 'Deck the Downtown.' For more information on upcoming grant opportunities, please reach out to colleen@downtownhalifax.ca.

  • Parking Initiatives

    To help mitigate the perception of parking problems in Downtown, DHBC focuses on easy enhancements that benefit both our members and the public. DHBC sometimes offers free parking for special events, either through the HotSpot mobile app or the on-street parking stations. We also maintain an extensive, up-to-date parking page, which outlines where to park, the costs, and other tips for easy parking Downtown. 

    If you have questions or concerns about parking in Downtown Halifax, please call 311.

  • Graffiti Clean-Up

    If your building has been tagged by graffiti, contact DHBC to have it removed. It’s as simple as that. Please note: the graffiti removal program is for privately owned, commercial buildings within the Downtown Halifax boundaries only. To report graffiti, contact (902) 423-6658 or info@downtownhalifax.ca

  • Sales & Visitation Data

    DHBC's goals are to:
    - Attract People Downtown
    - Increase Sales Downtown
    - Incite Investment Downtown

    We purchase cell phone data from a company called Environics, and track sales (Downtown spending) from data provided by the Dalhousie Transportation Collaboratory (DalTRAC). 

    Click here to learn more.

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Buy Local Campaign
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Pups on Patios

DHBC Placemaking Programs & Projects

  • Seasonal Decorations and Signage

    DHBC’s DELIGHTFUL DOWNTOWN features themed light shows on the former Halifax Memorial Library building at Grafton Park, seasonal decorations including a 26-foot tall illuminated tree at Peace and Friendship Park, LED lit tree-wraps, lamp pole lights, and other general decorations throughout Downtown. Christmas wreaths are installed along Downtown streets every winter and rainbow crosswalks are refreshed each summer In partnership with HRM. For more information on seasonal decorations and signage, contact info@downtownhalifax.ca

  • Public Seating and Installations

    DHBC installs painted picnic tables (including wheelchair accessible tables) at the following locations during the summer and fall months: Peace and Friendship Park, Granville Mall, Sands at Salter (next to Bishop’s Landing), on the corner of Hollis and Salter Streets, Purdy’s Wharf, George and Hollis Streets, and the corner of Duke and Hollis Streets. A recent addition to Downtown includes the activation of Granville Mall during the warmer months, placing painted bistro tables, chairs, lights, and more in this public area. If you are interested in borrowing picnic tables for an event taking place in Downtown Halifax or have any questions pertaining to this program, please contact info@downtownhalifax.ca or (902) 423-6658.

  • Gritty to Pretty Placemaking Grant Program

    Each spring, between May and June, DHBC’s Gritty to Pretty Placemaking Grants are awarded to individuals and businesses seeking to encourage civic pride, support local economies, and enhance the overall attraction and vibrancy of Downtown Halifax’s streetscape. Grant categories include the Open Grant, the Mural Grant, as well as our new Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) Mural and Open grants. Grant applicants are not required to be urban planners or professional artists, and can be eligible for up to $10,000 on an annual basis. For more information, please contact jonathan@downtownhalifax.ca.

  • Self-Guided Art Tour

    This self-guided art tour showcases all the Gritty to Pretty Placemaking Grant projects around Downtown. Make sure to bring your camera as you spend the day exploring all the public art installations that make Downtown Halifax so memorable. 

  • Downtown Halifax Crew

    We are passionate about keeping Downtown Halifax clean and beautiful. DHBC partners with HRM on matters of maintenance and ornamentation of the Downtown core. During the tourist season, May to September, the Downtown Halifax Crew, DHBC’s seasonal employees, maintain and enhance the Downtown area by removing graffiti and posters, and paint public items such as garbage cans and lamp posts. The Crew also serves as a valuable resource for tourists and visitors looking for directions or recommendations. For more information on the crew, please contact info@downtownhalifax.ca

  • Poster Kiosks

    DHBC maintains three poster kiosks for community advertising. This project provides an alternative space for posters in an effort to clean up clutter in the Downtown. DHBC is responsible for kiosk maintenance on the 1st and 15th of every month. Please refer to the map of where you can find the poster kiosks and pole collars. For more information on poster kiosks, please contact info@downtownhalifax.ca

  • DHBC Lamp Standard Banner Program

    DHBC manages the banner program on Downtown Halifax’s lamp standards. The banners are used by event organizers to promote their events and programs that take place Downtown. The Halifax Jazz Festival, Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, Neptune Theatre, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Blue Nose Marathon, the SaltWire Holiday Parade of Lights, and Metro United Way have all used the banner program to raise awareness about their events and programs. For more information, please contact info@downtownhalifax.ca

External Resources & Information