Say no to nuisance signs

Spring signals the start of the season for barbecues, home improvement projects and garage
sales. It is also the time when a number of signs pop up on your lawns and public property
about companies offering repair and lawn services, driveway sealing, summer internships and
more. Did you know that most of these signs are illegal?
The City of Brampton’s Sign By-law prohibits signs on roads, grass boulevards, traffic signals
and light posts, and on other public property. Every day Enforcement and By-law Services
officers patrol our streets and remove nuisance (i.e. illegal roadside) signs. With the combined
efforts of staff from the Enforcement and Maintenance and Operations divisions, more than
8,000 signs are removed every year.
In 2015, the City dedicated additional resources to the sign removal blitz, resulting in more than
5,370 illegal roadside signs removed in the first four months alone. In addition to this proactive
approach, Enforcement Officers also respond to reports from residents who have called 311 to
report their concerns.
The City continues to work diligently by conducting sign removal operations, investigations,
education and prosecutions whenever possible in order to reduce the number of illegal signs on
our streets.
How can Brampton residents help?
 Should you observe a nuisance sign, call 311, or email the location details to
enforcement@brampton.ca so that an officer may be dispatched to remove it.
 If you are having a garage sale or offering or looking for other services, do not post signs on
light posts, City property, or on private properties without the permission of property owners.
There are many online sites that offer appropriate advertising opportunities.
 Educate your children about the impact of nuisance signs on our community. Educators and
neighbourhood associations are encouraged to spread the message in their community.
Addressing illegal signs
Upon observing illegal roadside signs, Enforcement Officers identify and contact the company
responsible and educate them on the by-law requirements. If the business chooses to ignore
the warning, the City moves to the next stage of prosecuting the offender. Requests for legal
action are forwarded to the City of Brampton Prosecutors Office on a regular basis.
At times, tracking the company can prove challenging, especially when the company does not
have a valid corporate name or if it maintains a low profile by using answering services or
untraceable pay-as-you- go cellular phones.

Despite this, in 2014, a total of nine companies were convicted in court for illegal roadside signs,
with fines totalling $24,490. In the first four months of 2015, three companies have been
convicted of using illegal roadside signs and were handed a total of $2,540 in fines by the
courts.
To find out more about signs and other by-law related matters, meet City By-law experts at the
Bramalea City Centre (2nd floor, near Mappins Jewellers) from May 11 to 14 (10 am to 9 pm)
and May 15 (10 am to 4:30 pm).