Lawn signs and the bylaws regulating in Brampton have been a controversial topic in 2019.

Wards 7 and 8 Coun. Charmaine Williams reignited the debate at the end of August after handing out 500 “Slow Down” lawn signs to residents in her wards as part of her own back-to-school road safety initiative.

However, according to the city, the yellow plastic signs sporting the message “Please SLOW DOWN, kids are back at school” violate the city’s signage bylaws.

Williams disagrees with city staff’s interpretation of the bylaws and believes that the current laws exempt her signs; she said she believes lawn signs on private property is a free-speech issue.

“I’m bringing this forward because I’ve become aware from speaking with bylaw that our sign bylaw is (in) conflict with the Canadian Charter of Rights and (Freedoms),” she told council earlier this year after being advised of signs she handed out as part of a failed campaign against legal cannabis shops in January.

City staff, which includes the bylaw department, informed Williams that was not the case — and that positing such signage, even on private property, is a fineable offence in Brampton.

Williams remains defiant, however, and said she intends to continue distributing the signs despite warnings residents could be fined for posting them.

On Friday (Aug. 30), in response to Williams’ disagreement with bylaw staff’s interpretation of the sign regulations, the city said that it would conduct a review of the sign bylaw with the goal to “ensure the City’s Sign By-Law achieves the outcomes intended, and provides guidance to Council, City staff, and the community.”

This latest review is in addition to an existing study ordered by council in July looking at adding election signs to the existing ban.

Wards 1 and 5 Coun. Rowena Santos said she’s advocating prohibiting election lawn signage over street clutter and environmental concerns.