The City of Calgary has received more than 1,110 service requests to 311 regarding election signs over the past six weeks, with calls now spilling over to councillors.
During Question Period at the Nov. 10 Regular Meeting of Calgary city council, Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness quizzed city administration on what’s being done to deal with the post-election sign clean-up.
“Someone had reported that while driving around Shaganappi (Trail) and Nolan Hill, their car was struck by someone’s election sign,” Wyness said.
“We also saw issues with signs put on light standards, and you had previously spoken to that, however, they still exist throughout the community.”
Wyness wanted to know what was being done to close a loophole allowing election signs on light posts, and how the City was dealing with people not cleaning up their signs in good faith after the election.
Questions came up during the recent municipal election campaign around signs being affixed to light poles. It came up around the Calgary Stampede when the Calgary Party put up 6,000 of them pushing mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen.
Operational Services GM Doug Morgan acknowledged that it was a busy time for temporary signs.
“We are now receiving 311s about signs that haven’t been cleaned up, so we’re taking action on those,” he told councillors on Nov. 10.
Since Sept. 23, the City of Calgary has received 1,145 service requests to 311 related to municipal election signs.
“The City works proactively with election campaign offices to help them understand where signs can be placed and how long they can stay up,” read an email response from the City.
“Election signs are removed the same way as other temporary signs—by City crews working in the area—once the initial grace period ends and violations are confirmed.”
According to the City of Calgary’s Temporary Signs on Highways Bylaw, signs must be removed within 72 hours after polls close. Polls closed at 8 p.m. on Oct. 20. It’s now been 21 days since that period ended.
Morgan said their next step would be to review “from a lessons learned perspective” the entire process of election signs during the election period, including signs on light poles.
“Certainly, we’re just in the fact-finding in order to bring something back and to accelerate and make the sign bylaw more effective,” he said.
Calgarians can find out more information and report infractions for election signs at the City of Calgary website.
