Connecting North Bay, Building Safer Communities
Through Real-time Awareness, Collective Insight and Coordinated Care.
CHANGE STARTS AT STREET LEVEL
What is Beacon?
The Beacon Community Network launched in 2024 by Building Blocks, a North Bay-based organization focused on revitalizing downtowns through shared visibility infrastructure that serves collective safety, insight, and action. As more businesses, nonprofits, and service providers join the network, Beacon becomes stronger, more connected, and more effective. Because, it’s powered by the very community it serves.
Our Approach
Care, Community and Confidence
Care
We help communities feel safer through proactive, respectful support, not surveillance. Beacon is designed to prevent problems before they start and restore a sense of ease to our shared spaces.
Community
Beacon connects existing cameras into one participatory network, linking businesses, nonprofits, and city services in real time. The more organizations that join, the stronger the system becomes.
Confidence
With real-time alerts and shared insights, Beacon gives you the information you need to act early, respond wisely, and contribute to a downtown that feels stable and ready to grow.
Why Downtown Organizations Choose Beacon
Over 75 cameras currently throughout North Bay's downtown from participating businesses and organizations.
- Easy To Participate - Compatible with most existing cameras, our service includes a complimentary safety assessment and live network demo, offers flexible installation options and pricing, and provides reasonable subscription rates.
- Create the downtown people want to visit – By addressing minor issues quickly and working together, we help maintain the welcoming atmosphere that brings people downtown
- Focus on what matters most – Spend less time dealing with disruptions and more time serving your customers, clients, and community
- Strengthen your collective impact – Coordinate seamlessly with neighbors, city services, and local partners to tackle shared challenges
- Support your growth plans – Comprehensive activity data helps with grant applications, business planning, and community development initiatives
- Get up and running fast – Simple installation with ongoing support from our dedicated local team
Case Study
Beacon Success Stories
The Beacon program has had an impact on the Downtown Improvement Area of North Bay, ON.
Built for Community Coordination
Beacon isn't about surveillance, it's about participation.
While individual security systems protect single properties, Beacon is designed for organizations that share the same downtown spaces and want to work together to make them better. It’s about creating the kind of place where people choose to spend their time and money.
Built for Downtowns and Beyond
Launched in North Bay. Adaptable for communities like ours.
Beacon was created to support the underserved needs of downtown areas, where every business and organization plays a vital role in the broader community’s success. This collective approach is helping create the kind of downtown that visitors and residents actively choose to visit and enjoy. While we’re focused on making North Bay thrive, we are excited to serve other small cities facing similar downtown challenges with smarter technology.
Key Metrics at a Glance
Trusted By
North Bay Businesses
Ready to Participate?
If you’re part of downtown North Bay’s community, Beacon is ready to help you thrive.
Join the network that’s making downtown North Bay a place people love to be. Simple setup, immediate results, stronger community.