Bill 136

Bill 1362000

An Act in respect of

election signs

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Display of provincial election signs

1. (1) No person shall display a sign or permit the display of a sign that promotes the candidacy of a person for political office in a provincial election or by-election until the writ for the election or by-election, as the case may be, is issued.

Display of municipal election signs

(2) No person shall display a sign or permit the display of a sign that promotes the candidacy of a person for municipal office in a municipal election or by-election until 25 days before the day of the election or by-election, as the case may be.

Removal of election signs

(3) If a person displays a sign or permits the display of a sign described in subsection (1) or (2), the person shall remove the sign within three days following the day of the election or by-election, as the case may be.

Exception

(4) Subsections (1), (2) and (3) do not apply to signs displayed at premises used as a campaign office by a candidate in the election or by-election.

Offence

2. (1) Every person who contravenes subsection 1 (1), (2) or (3) is guilty of an offence.

Penalty, individual

(2) Every individual convicted of an offence under subsection (1) is liable to a fine of not more than $500.

Penalty, corporation

(3) Every corporation convicted of an offence under subsection (1) is liable to a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $5,000.

Commencement

3. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

4. The short title of this Act is the Election Signs Act, 2000.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill prohibits the display of a sign promoting the candidacy of a person for office in a provincial election or by-election until the writ for the election or by-election is issued. The Bill prohibits the display of a sign promoting the candidacy of a person for office in a municipal election or by-election until 25 days before the day of the election or by-election. All signs must be removed within three days after the election or by-election. The Bill also contains an offence provision for failure to comply.