Thank you for your inquiry.  We need some additional clarification to be able to answer your question. Please contact Clerk Services at 905-436-3311 or email clerks@oshawa.ca. 

The existing by-law does not expressly authorize financial penalties or the recovery of costs incurred by the City resulting from a sign which violates the by-law.  Accordingly, the City is unable to recoup administrative costs associated with the removal and storage of signs for subsequent recovery by a candidate. 

Currently, the City provides a service managing signs by reactively or proactively removing offending signs without notice to the candidate or property owner.  Such enforcement takes place in the weeks before a federal, provincial or municipal election.

This enforcement approach requires significant time and effort on the part of the City’s Municipal Law Enforcement group for up to 6 weeks.

We want to hear everyone’s thoughts.  The list of those who may be interested includes:

• Oshawa residents
• Individuals who may be considering a run for public office within the City of Oshawa
• Provincial and federal constituency associations; and,
• Corporations or trade unions, who may want to undertake third-party advertising in relation to any election. 

We are looking for a variety of opinions and perspectives to ensure that all voices are heard.

Under the current legislation governing municipal elections, election signs must contain the following:

Candidates: candidate signs must contain the name of the candidate

Third Party Advertisers: third party advertiser sings must contain the municipality where the Third Party Advertiser is registered to conduct third party advertising and the name and contact information for the third party advertiser.  A third party advertiser is an individual, corporation or trade union who has registered with the City Clerk in order to undertake advertising in support or opposition to any candidate, or referendum question.

All matters governed by the election sign by-law are up for review and consideration.  This includes:

• Dates when signs may be posted and when they must be removed following Voting Day;
• The size, number and placement of signs;
• Administration and enforcement of regulations related to election signs; and,
• Authorization or deposit requirements and penalties for violating the by-law

An election sign is any device that promotes, or influences any person to vote for or against any candidate in a federal, provincial or municipal election, or a question or by-law submitted to electors. This definition includes vehicle wraps and other physical means of promoting or influencing any individual.

The City’s election sign review has three key objectives:

• To ensure the City’s regulations remain responsive to the needs of the Oshawa community as it relates to maintaining basic levels of health and safety;
• To ensure that the City’s regulations remain responsive to the needs of the Oshawa community as it relates to sign placement locations;
• To ensure that regulations are aligned, where possible, with the Region of Durham, the Town of Whitby, the Municipality of Clarington, the Township of Scugog and to ensure consistency with best practices within the Greater Toronto Area;
• To ensure that the by-law is fair, current, and respects democratic processes;
• To ensure that the administration and enforcement of the by-law is efficient and effective, and that costs to administer and enforce the by-law are recovered

In 2018, two elections will take place (a general provincial election in the spring and the municipal election in the fall).  Changes have recently been enacted by the Province of Ontario that affect campaigns conducted at the municipal level and which require changes to the City’s election sign by-law.  As well as addressing these legislative changes, this review will ensure the regime governing election signs remains responsive to the needs of Oshawa’s residents.