Election Signs By-law 2026-027

1.1 In this By-law, the following words have the following meanings:

1. “Billboard Sign” means a third-party ground sign displaying sign copy that is periodically replaced;
   
   
2. “Boulevard” means a strip of publicly owned land between the sidewalk and the road, often grass-covered;
   
   
3. “Campaign Advertisement” means an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium purchased by or under the direction of a Candidate or Registered Third Party;
   
   
4. “Campaign Office” means a building or structure, or part of a building o
   r structure, used as part of an election campaign by a Candidate or Registered Third Party;
5. “Campaign Vehicle” means a vehicle that displays Campaign Advertisements;
   
   
6. “Clerk” means the municipal clerk appointed by Council pursuant to section 228 of the Municipal Act and any person authorized by him or her to carry out the duties of the Clerk under this By-law;
   
   
7. “Council” means the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury;
   
   
8. “Election Sign” means any Sign:
   1. advertising or promoting a Candidate in a federal, provincial or municipal election; or
   2. intended to influence persons to vote for or against any Candidate, referendum, political viewpoint, or any questions submitted to the electors under the Canada Elections Act, Election Act, or the Municipal Elections Act, 1996;
      
      
9. “Erect” means to attach, affix, display, paint, post, project, construct, place, locate or install;
   
   
10.  “Height” means the vertical distance from grade to the highest point of the sign, including the sign structure;
    
    
11. “Highway” means a common and public highway or portion thereof, which is under the Town, County or Province, and includes any street, land, bridge, trestle, viaduct or other structure that forms part of the highway and all lands along the lateral boundaries of the highway, including road allowances;
    
    
12. “Intersection” means the area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines or, if none, then of the lateral boundary a line of two or more highways that join one another at an angle, whether or not one highway crosses the other;
    
    
13. “Lot” means a parcel of land, described in a deed or other document legally capable of conveying land, or shown as a lot or block on a registered plan of subdivision, and that is designated for residential (urban or rural), commercial, or industrial;
    
    
14. “Median” means the raised or painted strip in the centre of a road that separates lanes of traffic going in opposite directions, often grass-covered or concrete;
    
    
15. “Owner” means any person who owns or operates a particular advertising device;
    
    
16. “Public Road Allowance” means the allowance for a public road and includes the travelled and untraveled portions of the road allowance, the road shoulders, ditches, boulevards and sidewalks;
    
    
17. “Registered Third Party” shall mean any person or entity, an individual, corporation or trade union that is not a Candidate, who incurs expenses with respect to promoting, supporting or opposing:
    1. a candidate; or
    2. a “yes” or “no” answer to a question, referendum, or an issue associated with a person or political party participating in an election, under the Canada Elections Act, the Election Act, or the Municipal Elections Act, 1996;
       
       
18. “Sign” means any device, fixture or medium, including the sign structure, that displays sign copy to attract attention or convey information of any kind;
    
    
19. “Sight Triangle” the area within a triangle formed by measuring 6 metres (20 ft) along two specified intersecting lines along the roadway and a third line joining the terminal points of the two measures lines. See the diagram in Schedule A of this By-law;
    
    
20. “Town” means The Corporation of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury;
    
    
21. “Voting Day” means the day on which the final vote is to be taken in an election;
    
    
22. “Voting Period” means the specified period prior to Voting Day on which an eligible voter may cast their vote, including Voting Day;
    
    
23.  “Voting Place” means the lot upon which electors cast paper ballots and includes the building located thereon, and
    1. In the case of electronic voting, any location that has been established as a Voter Help Centre or Mobile Voter Help Centre by the Clerk, and
    2. When the Voting Place is located on private property, includes all of the common elements of the private property.

2.1 Except as otherwise noted in this By-law, an election sign shall comply with the Canada Elections Act, 2000, the Election Act, 1990, the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the Ministry of Transportation regulations, and the County of Simcoe Sign By-law, as applicable, and comply with all of the applicable requirements of this By-law, as amended, depending upon the type of election sign being erected.

2.2 No person shall erect or display an election sign:

1. In the case of federal or provincial election, prior to the issuance of the writ of election; or
2. In the case of a municipal election, prior to the first Tuesday after Labour Day of a regular election year and in the case of a by-election, at the close of nominations.

2.3 With exemption to paid advertising on an Electronic Billboard, an Election Sign shall not exceed:

1. An aggregate sign face of 1.5 square metres (16 square feet); or
2. An aggregate height of 1.5 metres (5 feet).

2.4 Mobile billboard trucks, including digital or electronic billboard vehicles, are not permitted for election advertising.

2.5 An Election Sign shall not be erected:

1. On any property owned or occupied by the Town, including, but not limited to, public parks, municipal buildings or facilities, or public road allowances, including medians, boulevards, roundabouts, and similar areas;
2. Within, to, or upon anything located on a road allowance including a utility pole, a light pole, a utility box, a tree, a planter, a bench, a waste receptacle, a mailbox, or a trailer;
3. Where placement of signs could cause a visual obstruction or safety risk;
4. Where stacking of signs, whether vertical or horizontal, would cause the maximum dimensions to be exceeded;
5. Within the sight triangle of an intersection as described in Schedule A of this By-law; or
6. Without the express consent of the owner and/or occupant of the property.

2.6 Notwithstanding subsection 2.5(a), an election sign may be erected within a public road allowance adjacent to a residential (urban or rural), lot provided that:

1. The sign is at least 1.0 metre (3 feet) from the edge of the travelled portion of the roadway;
2. Where a sidewalk exists, the sign must be placed at least 1.0 metre (3 feet) from the edge of the  sidewalk and not between the curb and sidewalk; and
3. The sign is not placed in a manner that contravenes subsections 2.5(b), 2.5(c), 2.5(d), or 2.5(e).

2.7 No Person shall place an election sign that:

1. Illuminates, has flashing lights, or rotating parts;
2. Uses words such as “stop”, “look”, “one way”, or any similar phrases, symbols, lights, or characters in a manner likely to cause public confusion or interfere with traffic safety; or
3. Contains any logo, crest, trademark, or official mark, in whole or in part, that is owned or licensed by the Town.

2.8 Not more than one election sign is permitted per Candidate or Registered Third Party on any one lot. For a lot with more than one abutting road allowance, the number of Elections Signs per Candidate or Registered Third Party can be no more than the number of abutting road allowances on the lot.

2.9 Notwithstanding Section 2.8 owners or tenants in multi-residential buildings, including apartments and condominiums but excluding Accessory Dwelling Units, may display election signs on the portion of the premises they own or lease (i.e. windows or balconies) subject to any reasonable restrictions on the size and type of election sign that may be established by the landlord, property manager, cooperative or condominium corporation, but not exceeding the size limits outlined in Section 2.3.

2.10 Notwithstanding Section 2.8, owners or tenants of industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) properties, including plazas with multiple storefronts, may display one election window sign per unit, provided they have obtained permission from the individual retail location and subject to any reasonable restrictions on the size and type of election sign that may be established by the landlord or property manager, but not exceeding the size limits outlined in Section 2.3, and in adherence with the Sign By-law.

2.11 Election Campaign Office:

1. Notwithstanding Section 2.2 and 2.3, an additional election sign may be placed, erected or displayed at a Campaign Office provided that:
   1. The Candidate or Registered Third Party files nomination or registration with the Clerk, Chief Electoral Officer or the returning officer of the electoral district, as applicable;
   2. The sign may be placed once a Candidate or Registered Third Party files nomination or registration with the Chief Electoral Officer or the returning officer of the electoral district, as applicable; provided the sign is displayed within the regulated campaign period and is located only at the Campaign Office; and
   3. The sign may exceed 16 square feet, provided it otherwise complies with Sign By-law 2011-23, as amended.

2.12 Campaign Vehicles:

1. Candidates may have one campaign vehicle displaying up to two election signs, which shall be permitted within a road allowance provided the vehicle is parking in compliance with Traffic By-law 2014-91, as amended, and shall remain subject to all regulations set forth in this By-law.
2. Candidates and Registered Third Parties must not place or allow election signs on or in campaign vehicles parked on Town owned or occupied property, or at voting locations on any voting day, including during the voting period.

2.13 Election signs shall be removed no later than 7 calendar days after Voting Day of the election for which the election sign was erected. Any signs not claimed within this period will be collected by Town Staff and disposed of.

2.14 No person shall deface or willfully cause damage to a lawfully erected election sign.

2.15 A permit under this By-law shall not be required to post, erect or display an election sign that is posted, erected or displayed in compliance with this By-law

3.1 Where election signs have otherwise been affixed, erected or otherwise displayed in contravention of any provision of the Canada Elections Act, 2000, Election Act, 1990, Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the Ministry of Transportation regulations, County of Simcoe Sign By-law, or this By-law, the Chief Building Official, Clerk, Municipal Law Enforcement officer, or any other individual designated by the Clerk may cause the sign to be removed immediately without notice to the owner, and may dispose of such sign without taking any further action.

3.2 The provisions of this By-law shall be enforceable by a Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer, or other such person appointed by the Municipality.

3.3 Every Owner who contravenes any provision of this By-law is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine as provided for in the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P. 33, as amended.

 4.1 If a Court of competent jurisdiction declares to be invalid, unenforceable, illegal or beyond the powers of Council to enact, any provisions or parts of any provisions of this By-law, it is the intention of Council in enacting this By-law that the remainder of this By-law shall be deemed to be separate and independent therefrom and that the remainder of this By-law shall continue in force and be applied and enforced in accordance with its terms to the fullest extent possible according to law.

4.2 Any reference to a statute, regulation, by-law or other legislation in this By-law shall include such statute, regulation, by-law or other legislation or provision thereof as amended, revised, re-enacted and/or consolidated from time to time and any successor legislation thereto.

 5.1 This By-law shall be cited as the Election Signs By-law

6.1 All existing election sign provisions within Sign By-law 2011-23 shall be repealed through the enactment of By-law 2026-028, being a by-law to amend Sign By-law 2011-23.

7.1 This By-law shall come into force and take effect on the date that it is enacted.

Enacted April 21, 2026.

Original signed by Tara Reynolds, Clerk and James Leduc, Mayor.

This diagram is provided for illustrative purposes only. In the event of any discrepancy between this diagram and the provisions of this By-law, the text of the By-law shall prevail.