Do billboards showcase Toronto as a city open to business or are they an annoying distraction in a world already overrun with advertising?
City Council will vote on a proposed tax and bylaw for the ads that will reportedly bring in just over $10 million a year – money that could be put toward beautifying public spaces, boosting support for marginalized communities and arts funding.
A vote scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed to Wednesday.
Several organizations around the city have put their support behind the proposed levy and bylaw that would strongly regulate how big the outdoor ads can be and where they are placed. The Beautiful City Alliance, perhaps the largest group, says billboards are the only form of advertising “where the viewer is not compensated for their attention with educational or enjoyable content.”
“Boasting strong long-term profits and growth the outdoor advertising industry has no such built-in responsibility to the public as people do not have a choice but to view the messages,” the group said in a statement earlier this month.
Coun. Joe Mihevc has been a vocal supporter of the proposed billboard tax and bylaw. In a video on his website, the councillor pointed to one outdoor ad in Tollkeeper’s Park that’s been standing illegally in his ward for over 50 years.
“Over the past several years I can say that residents in the city of Toronto have approached me regularly with the sheer volume of third-party advertising that now exists in the city. Residents are saying, enough already,” he said in the video.
The vote is the culmination of a seven-year effort to get stronger rules for outdoor advertising put in place. According to a recent EKOS survey conducted for The Beautiful City Alliance, 70 per cent of Torontonians agree with the proposed measures.
The outdoor ad industry has launched a campaign against the proposed tax. The Out-of-Home Marketing Association of Canada (OMAC) claims the outdoor advertising industry will be “devastated” should councillors approve the new billboard rules.
“OMAC member companies want to work with the City to find a workable solution for all stakeholders but there has been no sincere effort by the City's sign by-law project team to consult with our industry despite many attempts to establish real dialogue over the issues,” the group said in a statement on its website.
“The result has been the creation of a new sign by-law and billboard tax that is an assault against outdoor advertisers and will financially cripple an industry that contributes significantly to the Toronto economy, City finances and small businesses.”
OMAC claims the city already collects $36.8 million in annual revenue on current outdoor ad lease agreements.
Read the full motion presented by Councillor Kelly here.
Watch the live stream here.
Illegal Signs.ca