Sign Association of Canada…

Sign Association of Canada
1 Yonge Street, Suite 1801
Toronto, ON M5E 1W7

December 9, 2016

Ms. Arielle Mayer
Senior Policy Advisor
Ministry of Transportation
Policy and Planning Division, Transportation Planning Branch
Environmental Policy Office
777 Bay Street, Suite 3000
Toronto ON M5G 2E5
EBR Registry number 012-8680

Dear Ms. Mayer,

On behalf of the Sign Association of Canada, a national association of sign manufacturers and sign product suppliers, and our Ontario chapter – the Ontario Sign Association, we are hereby submitting comments in advance of a potential review of Ministry of Transportation’s Corridor Signing Policy. We conducted a survey of our members and here are some examples of their responses regarding the MTO Signing Policy:

-Low enforcement. Currently, some members feel that low enforcement has lead to a proliferation of illegal signage in some areas.

The Sign Association of Canada supports proper and consistent enforcement of sign codes, which includes but is not limited to issuing warnings and fines. Our position is that as long as the enforcement is not consistent, there will be parties who do not adhere to the regulations properly, which in turn promotes a domino effect of non-compliance.

We expect all of our members to comply with sign bylaws. Should they not comply, we support consistent enforcement.

-A question that many of our members asked: If the number of permitted 3rd party/off-premise signage is increased, we want to ensure that this does not lead to a decrease in the number of permitted 1st party/on-premise signs. For instance, if MTO is going to go with the “total allowable signage” route as opposed to per sign type allowed, 1st party signs will lose out in cases where huge 200ft billboards are placed.

-Many regional rural sign companies rely upon both the 1st party small community signage as well as income from the bush country signs. These 3rd party signs (not exactly billboards, but off-premise signs nonetheless) support local community businesses. We want to ensure that these businesses still have the ability to advertise their businesses within the MTO corridor.

-In instances where signage is within the MTO corridor but not in view of the traffic flow on the provincial highway, we would like to see timing to get a letter stating that a permit is not required to be decreased.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of the matter. Should you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Kind regards,

Karin Sildam Eaton
Director of Government Relations
Sign Association of Canada

[Original Comment ID: 205431]