Business owners located in one of Toronto’s most famous neighbourhoods are outraged after being targeted for A-frame signs they put up outside their businesses.
Several business owners located in The West Queen West corridor– between Bathurst Street and Gladstone Avenue—were given maximum fines for violating a city rule regarding the signs.
Janet Wright, who owns Floor Play Socks, was one of them.
“The fine I received was $830, the maximum allowed by the city,” she told CityNews.
Under City of Toronto bylaws, businesses who wish to put up A-frame signs must apply and get approved for a permit to use the pop-up signs to prevent visual clutter, and remove sight line obstructions that could pose a safety hazard to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.
Wright has gone through the process every year, except for this one.
“And that’s because the city has always sent out reminders for us to renew but for whatever reason this year, I did not receive a renewal reminder,” she said.
In March, she says Municipal Licensing and Standards officers showed up at her store, handing her the citation.
“For having an A-frame sign that takes up very little space on the sidewalk,” she said. “In the City of Toronto, if I park in a disabled spot, it’s a $300 fine. If I go 50 kilometres, which is huge, over the speed limit, it is a $457 fine. But I put out an A-frame sign – $830. That’s ridiculous.”
City staff however say business owners and leaders with the West Queen West Business Improvement Area (BIA) were first warned about the violations before any citation was issued.
They say MLS officers visited 44 stores back in February after receiving complaints about the signs – issuing only warnings. They then followed up in March and found 28 businesses complied and 6 others were in the process of applying for their A-frame license.
“The remaining 10 businesses were charged because they either did not have an active application or did not apply at all and were still in non-compliance with the bylaw,” a City spokesperson said.
But business owners say before handing out any fines, the city needs to fix the entire licensing process. Wright and others say they’ve tried to get a license, which can be done online – only to be met with error messages when uploading the numerous documents requested.
“I have spent over six and a half hours on the process of getting this permit,” Wright said.
Kate Hancock, who owns the bar and restaurant Hugs and Sarcasm, echoed that statement.
“There’s a lot of things required to apply for a small sign. There’s a letter from the landlord, a letter from the BIA, a site plan,” she said. “For a small business owner who wears many hats, you just don’t have the time, I got to the point where I just gave up.”
“To get a passport, to get a temporary firearm licence in the City of Toronto, to get a mortgage, there’s less paperwork involved than to get a permit for an A-frame sign,” Wright added.
Robert Sysak, President of the West Queen West BIA, is now in talks with City leaders to try and first reduce the amount of fines issued.
“$830 is outrageous! Like that’s overboard, it’s not a capital offence,” he said.
He is also hoping to get the city to make the licensing process a bit easier for those who try and apply.
“I am about 80 per cent hopeful that we will change the whole process because they’ve got to first correct those errors before they give the maximum fine,” he said.
Business owners also called out what they say is “selective enforcement” from MLS officers. They say for years they’ve asked MLS officers to investigate what they call “illegal vendors” who operate in the nearby Trinity Bellwoods Park.
“Every weekend, summer or winter, there are illegal vendors, they’re selling products that retailers along the strip sell,” Wright said. “Every time we call the city, the city says they will be there in two weeks, in three weeks. I believe that the city is just allowing them to go. So they’re allowed to sell illegally in the park, but I can’t put an A-frame sign out. It’s absolutely absurd.”
The City did not respond when we asked them to weigh in on that allegation.
“The City’s professing to be pro small business and then they issue these huge fines, this doesn’t make our members excited, especially with FIFA coming and the city claims to be promoting business districts like this one. Our members don’t want to participate in stuff if the city’s gonna give you $830 tickets for an A-frame.”
Wright is hoping talks between the BIA and the city will lead to change.
“It is already incredibly hard to be a small business owner these days. Our fees have gone up, garbage has gone up, Hydro’s gone up and rents are going up, and now A-frame signs,” she says.
Have something you want to sound off about? Contact us.
Business owners located in one of Toronto’s most famous neighbourhoods are outraged after being targeted for A-frame signs they put up outside their businesses. Several business owners located in The West Queen West corridor– between Bathurst Street and Gladstone Avenue—were given maximum fines for violating a city rule regarding the signs. Janet Wright, who owns Uncategorized
Business owners located in one of Toronto’s most famous neighbourhoods are outraged after being targeted for A-frame signs they put up outside their businesses.
Several business owners located in The West Queen West corridor– between Bathurst Street and Gladstone Avenue—were given maximum fines for violating a city rule regarding the signs.
Janet Wright, who owns Floor Play Socks, was one of them.
“The fine I received was $830, the maximum allowed by the city,” she told CityNews.
Under City of Toronto bylaws, businesses who wish to put up A-frame signs must apply and get approved for a permit to use the pop-up signs to prevent visual clutter, and remove sight line obstructions that could pose a safety hazard to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.
Wright has gone through the process every year, except for this one.
“And that’s because the city has always sent out reminders for us to renew but for whatever reason this year, I did not receive a renewal reminder,” she said.
In March, she says Municipal Licensing and Standards officers showed up at her store, handing her the citation.
“For having an A-frame sign that takes up very little space on the sidewalk,” she said. “In the City of Toronto, if I park in a disabled spot, it’s a $300 fine. If I go 50 kilometres, which is huge, over the speed limit, it is a $457 fine. But I put out an A-frame sign – $830. That’s ridiculous.”
City staff however say business owners and leaders with the West Queen West Business Improvement Area (BIA) were first warned about the violations before any citation was issued.
They say MLS officers visited 44 stores back in February after receiving complaints about the signs – issuing only warnings. They then followed up in March and found 28 businesses complied and 6 others were in the process of applying for their A-frame license.
“The remaining 10 businesses were charged because they either did not have an active application or did not apply at all and were still in non-compliance with the bylaw,” a City spokesperson said.
But business owners say before handing out any fines, the city needs to fix the entire licensing process. Wright and others say they’ve tried to get a license, which can be done online – only to be met with error messages when uploading the numerous documents requested.
“I have spent over six and a half hours on the process of getting this permit,” Wright said.
Kate Hancock, who owns the bar and restaurant Hugs and Sarcasm, echoed that statement.
“There’s a lot of things required to apply for a small sign. There’s a letter from the landlord, a letter from the BIA, a site plan,” she said. “For a small business owner who wears many hats, you just don’t have the time, I got to the point where I just gave up.”
“To get a passport, to get a temporary firearm licence in the City of Toronto, to get a mortgage, there’s less paperwork involved than to get a permit for an A-frame sign,” Wright added.
Robert Sysak, President of the West Queen West BIA, is now in talks with City leaders to try and first reduce the amount of fines issued.
“$830 is outrageous! Like that’s overboard, it’s not a capital offence,” he said.
He is also hoping to get the city to make the licensing process a bit easier for those who try and apply.
“I am about 80 per cent hopeful that we will change the whole process because they’ve got to first correct those errors before they give the maximum fine,” he said.
Business owners also called out what they say is “selective enforcement” from MLS officers. They say for years they’ve asked MLS officers to investigate what they call “illegal vendors” who operate in the nearby Trinity Bellwoods Park.
“Every weekend, summer or winter, there are illegal vendors, they’re selling products that retailers along the strip sell,” Wright said. “Every time we call the city, the city says they will be there in two weeks, in three weeks. I believe that the city is just allowing them to go. So they’re allowed to sell illegally in the park, but I can’t put an A-frame sign out. It’s absolutely absurd.”
The City did not respond when we asked them to weigh in on that allegation.
“The City’s professing to be pro small business and then they issue these huge fines, this doesn’t make our members excited, especially with FIFA coming and the city claims to be promoting business districts like this one. Our members don’t want to participate in stuff if the city’s gonna give you $830 tickets for an A-frame.”
Wright is hoping talks between the BIA and the city will lead to change.
“It is already incredibly hard to be a small business owner these days. Our fees have gone up, garbage has gone up, Hydro’s gone up and rents are going up, and now A-frame signs,” she says.
Have something you want to sound off about? Contact us.