the Billboard Battalion
You wouldn't know it, but Toronto has very strict rules about outdoor advertising. Guidelines restrict the size, location and illumination of ads. Certain kinds of ads are completely prohibited, such as video billboards.
But every month, advertising companies are permitted to request "variances" from the sign bylaws at Community Council meetings, and you can see the results all around you.
The variance applications are generally not discussed or debated. In most cases, they are simply rubber-stamped. No public notification is required, no matter how big, bright or intrusive the sign is. The meetings' agendas are usually posted on the web only a couple of days in advance.
City staff is generally pretty good about recommending that big billboards be refused - but unfortunately, councillors routinely ignore them.
The reasons are uncertain. And what public good does it serve? Contrary to popular belief, the city does not make any money from these billboards. However, ad companies like Viacom Outdoor are big financial contributors to many city councillors' election campaigns.
Join the Billboard Battalion!
The good news is that we've found that even a small amount of pressure is often enough to make councillors reconsider.
About once a month, Billboard Battalion members receive an email that outlines what billboards are being proposed that month. All you have to do is dash off a couple of quick emails to the listed councillors.
You can include details about the individual signs if you wish, or you can simply say you oppose having more billboards and that you hope they vote against the agenda item X and Y.
Since we've started this campaign we've seen a number of variance applications refused which would have almost certainly have been approved in the past. It seems that when councillors have to stop to consider whether they want to be publicly associated with approving another eyesore, they think twice.
Making Deputations
We also encourage people to go to community council and make deputations. While this sounds intimidating, it is actually an incredibly easy way to get involved in city politics. Once you've done one, you'll be hooked.
Community council is usually held once a month on a Tuesday between 9:30 and 5:00. We usually have a rough idea of when an item will be discussed. All you have to do is email the administrator to let her know you want to speak. (All relevant info will be supplied in the email, and you can always email us for more details.)
When the item is discussed your name will be called and you'll go to a desk with a mic and say something short and sweet: billboards are ugly and you want to hear a justification of why another one should be approved. You have five minutes, but councillors don't necessarily listen that long.
What you say is actually less important that letting councillors know that we're there and we're watching and we're noting their decisions.
Click here for a handy guide to making deputations!
If you' d like to learn how to discover variance applications on Community Council agendas, click here!
please send an e-mail to alison@ publicspace.ca
