New election sign rules could ban campaign advertisement vehicles in Brampton

The city is considering updates to its sign bylaw that could ban election candidates from using vehicles as campaign billboards ads in Brampton.

Brampton voters go to the polls in October to elect a new city council and school trustees, and the city has tougher bylaws in place following an unprecedented number of election sign complaints filed during the 2022 municipal election.

Some 6,400 illegally placed signs from candidates were seized in the last municipal election, racking up more than $150,000 in fines.

The city jacked up fines to a $2,000 maximum per candidate ahead of the 2025 federal election, and more tweaks could be coming to Brampton bylaws that would ban signs from vehicles and limit the types of signs candidates can use.

“From a safety perspective, signs displayed on vehicles could result in distractions to motorists, whether they are on a vehicle on a highway or stationary, or displayed such that it catches the attention of, and distracts, drivers passing by,” a city report reads.

City staff have recommended a bylaw amendment to prohibit election signs from stationary and moving vehicles. But if council decides to let vehicles act as signs, staff recommend a ban on any vehicles displaying election signs from 100 metres of a polling station.

“If election signs are permitted on vehicles, such as magnetic strips, size limitations as already describe for election signs on property would still apply,” the report reads.

Brampton sign bylaws include a ban on election signs on public property and highways, or within 0.6 metres of a curb, shoulder, sidewalk or pavement edge.

They are also not permitted to be placed “in circumstances creating a real or potential safety hazard for pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists,” where they obstruct the visibility of any traffic control device, intersection, driveway, or sidewalk.

Signs also cannot impede any fire escape, fire exit, door, window, or skylight, or fixed to trees, fences, hydro pole, light standard or any other utility infrastructure.

The penalty for an improperly placed election sign is $200, and the cumulative total of administrative penalties cannot exceed $2000 per individual candidate or third party advertiser, the city says. An additional $5,000 fine could be laid under the Provincial Offences Act.

If the proposed tweaks to vehicle signs are approved, city enforcement staff will enforce the bylaw for stationary vehicles while any enforcement on highways would fall to Peel Regional Police, according to the report.

The proposed changes will go to Brampton City Council for consideration on Wednesday.