Local

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

New billboard rules irk sign industry

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 11/30/2012 12:22 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 11/30/2012 3:24 PM | Updates

Winnipeg sign industry is upset a long-awaited set of new rules governing billboards and digital signs includes a tax hike that almost quadruples existing rates.

City council’s property committee voted Friday morning to pass a wide-ranging package of zoning regulations governing the size and placement of billboards and digital signs. The plan has been in the works since the city amended the Winnipeg Zoning Bylaw in 2008.

The new rules make moving digital type on signs illegal and place a cap on billboard height at 10 metres, among the many changes.

But the sign industry is outraged taxes for conventional billboards will jump to $5.70 per square foot from $1.50 per square foot. Such a move would increase the annual tax burden on an average billboard to $1,140 from $350, said Joanne Koop of Pattison Outdoor.

The move may severely affect business for Pattison and CBS, the city’s two main billboard operators, Pattison municipal-relations manager Doug Forsyth said. He said the industry has been blindsided by the new taxes, which were announced Monday.

Property committee chairman Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said the existing taxes were too low.

The new rules still face approval from council’s executive policy committee next week and council as a whole on Dec. 12.

If approved, the new taxes would take effect in June or July of 2013.

History

Updated on Friday, November 30, 2012 at 3:24 PM CST: Removes unrelated image.

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.