election signs toronto

Toronto residents forced to remove election signs by Sunday

The Ontario election may be over, but lawns across the city are still littered with the wobbly signs of riding ex-hopefuls. 

Not for long, according to a city bylaw which states that those signs have until Sunday at 9 p.m. before they're considered illegal, or at the very least more unsightly than they already are.  

The City requires election signs to be removed 72 hours after voting ends on election day; anyone who fails to do so might otherwise find a bylaw enforcement officer at their door (if your neighbour is grumpy enough to call one). 

But don't just dump Adam Pham and Steven Del Duca signs in the garbage can or blue bin: these big ol' political proclamations need special disposal. 

If they're not being picked up by the candidates themselves, your old election signs have to be discarded at one of the city's Drop-Off Depots

All but one of seven depots – by Dufferin and Finch, specifically – will recycle your unwanted signs for free. Keep in mind that most depots are closed on Mondays with limited hours on weekends, and peak periods between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. should be avoided. 

You should also make sure your sign is free from stakes, nails, fasteners, and bring it separately from your other waste, lest you encounter an extra fee.

If this all sounds like too much work for you, I recommend re-purposing your sign (into some nice tomato stakes, perhaps). Here's to hoping no one calls enforcement on this guy

Lead photo by

Conor Murphy


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Self-replicating predatory 'water fleas' are taking over Ontario lakes

TTC will shut down a large stretch of subway this weekend

Another Toronto highway is about to become a gridlocked mess due to lane closures

Outrage after Ontario student explains how to use food banks for free groceries in viral video

Invasive 'zombie plant' species is wreaking havoc across Ontario lakes

Almost nobody believes Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this year

5 million people transferred from TTC in under 2 months with One Fare program

Toronto is giving away free trees for you to plant outside your home