Penalties mulled for digital advertising

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This article was published 02/03/2018 (3015 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg doesn’t have to worry about getting stuck with a “bright lights, big city” label, after a civic committee decided a crackdown is needed on digital advertising signs.

Councillors on the property and development committee gave the green light Friday to a public consultation process expected to lead to fines and penalties for digital-sign owners and operators when it is deemed their signs are too bright or flashy.

“The problem with digital signs, now, is many are not compliant with the bylaw — they are either too bright or the images change too fast,” said Coun. John Orlikow, chairman of the committee.

“When we went out and did a quick assessment, we found a lot of non-compliant signs. It’s risen up to the level now where we have to do something.”

What the administration wants is a new bylaw that will allow the City of Winnipeg to fine operators and owners and, for repeat offenders, shut off the offending signs.

It’s also proposed that application fees have escalating dollar amounts, based on the number of previous infractions.

Orlikow said the city can only issue warnings to sign owners and operators — it is unable to impose fines.

“We know there are a couple of signs in the city that are just way too bright on Pembina (Highway),” Orlikow said. “We send out enforcement, they lower it down and a week later, it’s too bright again. We just have to have a bigger stick.”

Stan Dueck, manager of the city’s development and inspections division, said while digital signs are always compliant with the bylaw when they are initially turned on, many are breaking the rules shortly afterwards.

Dueck said the city doesn’t have the staff necessary for constant bylaw monitoring, adding one of the objectives of the changes will be to produce a stream of revenue to hire a team of inspectors.

Officials said there are 630 digital signs and billboards across Winnipeg.

An administrative report suggested the city could hire between one to four additional full-time staff, depending on the number of inspections required per year.

The proposed licensing-fee structure would be set at $200 annually for accessory digital signs (those displaying images only of a single applicant, usually attached to a business, school or church), doubling to $400 for two violations in the same year and rising up to $7,500 for repeat violators.

For billboard digital signs, the initial annual fee would be $400, rising to $10,000 for repeat violators.

Karin Sildan Eaton, director of government relations for the Sign Association of Canada, told the committee the group endorses enforcement of regulatory bylaws, adding it ensures a level playing field for the industry.

Sildan Eaton said the local industry is concerned the city’s proposed revamp of the licensing structure will result in additional fees and greater expense, adding that amounts to a penalty to operators who are complying with the existing rules.

Sildan Eaton said city hall already imposes a $160 surcharge on advertising signs that have digital images, on top of the regular fee.

“Shouldn’t some of that $160 go towards enforcement?” Sildan Eaton asked the committee, adding that fines should be assessed to those who break the rules without adding additional costs to others.

Orlikow said the objective of the public consultation is to get feedback from the owners and operators, and from the general public, for what city hall is proposing.

A report and draft bylaw will be brought to the committee within the year, Orlikow said.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca