Corp Comm Connects

TREB Calls on Richmond Hill Council to Approve a Common Sense Sign By-law

Finance.yahoo.com
November 8, 2019

The Toronto Real Estate Board, which represents 54,500 REALTORS across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including York Region, is calling on Richmond Hill Council to pass a common sense open house sign by-law that addresses concerns for public safety, public confusion, and by-law enforcement which are present under the current trial open house sign by-law passed in July 2019.

A staff report, regarding Richmond Hill’s sign by-law as it pertains to real estate “open house” signs, was published with the formal agenda for the November 6, 2019 council committee meeting, but was subsequently removed from the agenda two days later.

“TREB has been working respectfully and cooperatively with City of Richmond Hill staff in recent months to assist their efforts in reviewing the Richmond Hill sign by-law changes implemented last summer, in advance of their report back to Council before November 30, 2019, as directed by Richmond Hill City Council,” said Michael Collins, TREB President.

At the request of Richmond Hill staff, TREB assisted with disseminating a Richmond Hill survey to York Region TREB Realtor Members, and provided Richmond Hill staff with background material on relevant public opinion polling conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs.

“We believe that these efforts helped staff produce a well-informed report and recommendations to Council, which was published with the November 6, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting agenda, but since removed,” continued Collins.

The Richmond Hill staff report was the most recent step in a lengthy recent process regarding the application of Richmond Hill’s sign by-law to real estate “open house” signs:

“The current restrictions on the content of open house signs is ill-advised for many reasons, which TREB has articulated.  Not only does this restriction put our Members at odds with the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002, which requires them to display their identification information on any advertisements, but it also creates concerns for public safety, public confusion, and by-law enforcement, not to mention that it potentially conflicts with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” added Collins.

TREB has the following concerns with the current information restriction under the pilot Richmond Hill open house sign by-law:

Restricting identification information on open house signs will make it much more difficult for municipal by-law enforcement staff to identify the owner of a sign, and thereby prosecute offenders who may infringe on other by-law requirements
“TREB looks forward to continuing to work cooperatively with Richmond Hill Council and staff on this issue and eagerly await Council’s consideration of Richmond Hill staff’s recommendations in advance of November 30, 2019,” added Collins.