Introduced in 2010, the City of Toronto's current signage bylaw created nine different 'Sign Districts' across the city, plus an additional six 'Special Sign Districts', where signage has been deemed an important part of the urban character. The city's built form is fast changing, and almost five years after the new signage bylaw was adopted, further changes to the current regulations are being proposed.

Billboards on Front Street, image by Edward Skira

A January meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee recommended that Council ask the Province to amend the City of Toronto Act, allowing the existing Sign Bylaw to extend to signs and billboards that were grandfathered prior to the current Sign Bylaw being enacted. The City is now seeking input from the public, as well as business owners, on future potential changes to both the City of Toronto Act and the Toronto Sign Bylaw, which would increase the City's ability to implement and enforce the bylaw.

If an amendment to the City of Toronto Act is indeed approved by the Province of Ontario, the proposed changes will give the City a greater ability to enforce the bylaw, as was the case prior to 1983. City Council has requested that staff hold public and stakeholder consultations on the requested changes, and report back to council in April with their findings on how the City should address existing non-conforming signs if the Province amends the City of Toronto Act.

Members of the public, residents, property owners and businesses are being invited to workshops which will take place over the next few weeks. Workshops will cover issues including; to which signs and billboards should the current Sign Bylaw apply; what extent should the current Sign Bylaw apply to lawfully existing signs and billboards that don’t meet the current requirements of the Sign Bylaw; and if existing signs and billboards don’t comply with the current Sign Bylaw and are required to comply, how should the City go about achieving compliance?

The workshops will take place from 7 to 9 PM at the following locations, with presentations starting at 7:15 PM.

• Tuesday, February 24, North York Civic Centre, 5100 Yonge St., Council Chamber

• Wednesday, February 25, York Civic Centre, 2700 Eglinton Ave. W., Council Chamber

• Tuesday, March 3, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W., Committee Room 1

• Thursday, March 5, Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr., Committee Rooms 1 and 2

If you are unable to attend any of the dates listed above, you can still submit your comments directly by sending them to signbylawunit@toronto.ca

Additional information about the proposed changes to the existing bylaw can be found by following this link: http://www.toronto.ca/signs