Data on the standardized incomes of Quebec municipalities show that during the ten years from 2006 to 2016, commercial and service buildings saw a 97% increase in values, from $ 387 billion to $ 958 billion. The population of Quebec grew by only 7% during the same period. This apparent wealth of land hides additional opportunities for added value.

Recent advances in urban commercial framework management have helped to update the components of a municipal commercial value chain system. For an urban area, this value chain reflects the search for optimization of the real estate retail presence and the generation of income streams.

The improvement of land revenue goes through three essential stages: the correction of situations that slow down the creation of property revenues, the management of the commercial supply so that it remains perennial and the development of the urban commercial potential.

Correction of the situation

A business diagnosis identifies all business nodes that limit, inhibit, or even prevent value creation. These nodes (bottlenecks) of income take various forms, such as the presence of commercial sediments (old uses now out of date);  they are not complementary to the business offer in place. These spaces are brakes in their current state, but also exciting opportunities via appropriate development.

This activity is similar to a review of commercial potential and its ability to generate significant property income while meeting the conditions of the commercial needs of the territory. The analysis can also extend to residential, institutional, and industrial functions.

Business Supply Management

The strategy of maintaining the commercial fabric requires attention at all times to seize opportunities for specialization, development of business themes, replacement of businesses, densification of the real estate business fabric, and concentration of uses. In short, there is a panoply of activities leading to a management operation and continuous improvement of the value of the commercial offer. A Business Development Corporation is usually more concerned with this aspect of the business.
Activities include vacant space management, commercial recruiting, usage regulation, real estate density management, the creation of a hierarchy of business areas, and the improvement of retail business practices.

The objectives are to maintain the competitiveness of the commercial zones, increase the attraction of the clientele, improve the quality and depth of the offer, and reduce the outward movement of citizens to meet their needs — requirements for commercial products and services.