The ownership for Brunswick Square wants to use funds contributed through a business improvement levy to improve the mall.
Slate Asset Management’s request to the City of Saint John came up at Monday’s night meeting.
Uptown Saint John Executive Director Nancy Tissington explained that business improvement associations operate through provincial legislation.
Tissington said the money is collected and used as a self-directed tax to help fund the pillars of the business improvement association.
“So you can’t opt-in and opt-out, it’s a geographical line that is created in the beginning and with a boundary, an area rate is set so no, there is no opting in or opting out. Having said that, because of that boundary they are members and we do want to listen to the needs of their members,” Tissington said.
Concerns have been raised in recent months with the departure of many businesses including The Running Room, Baubles, Mother Nature’s and McDonald’s this year alone.
Slate Asset Management paid more than 42,000 into the levy in 2019 and it dropped to over 37,000 this year.
