Toronto committee wants to shorten time in which political candidates can put up election signs

NationalPost.com
Aug. 19, 2014
Natalie Alcoba

Toronto’s licensing and standards committee wants to shorten the period of time in which political candidates can put up election signs to just two weeks before a vote is cast.

If approved by city council next week, the new rules would apply to this municipal campaign, and subsequent provincial and federal ones, too.

Currently, signs can be erected in federal and provincial elections once the writ has been issued, and 25 days prior to a city election.

City staff had recommended standardizing the time period to 21 days for all elections.

The committee also dropped from $250 to $125 a proposed a non-refundable fee that covers the cost of removal and storage of improperly displayed signs. Mayor Rob Ford said that shortening the period of time that signs are allowed up is probably more of an advantage to incumbents, who already have name recognition.

“I don’t think it’s fair for the people who aren’t in office just to have 14 days to get their name out there,” he said. “So, just to have a level playing field, I think it should be 30 days.”