CANMORE – Anyone upset with election signage will soon get a boost the next time an election rolls around.
Canmore council directed Town staff to prepare a bylaw to eventually amendment restrict temporary election signage that will also include municipal, provincial, federal, school board and regional health authorities.
If council amends its land use bylaw, signage will still be allowed on private property but means candidates will have to get permission from the landowner first.
Coun. Joanna McCallum, who has raised the potential of restricting election signs in previous council terms starting in 2013, said it would lead to less “visual clutter” and lessen environmental impacts with fewer signs being made.
“The bottom line is if you as a candidate are serious about putting your name forward as a councillor, you will go knock on doors,” she said. “We will find other more modern, less intrusive cluttering, less littering ways to actually get your message across and provide your vision to the people of Canmore.”
McCallum pushed council to stop “kicking this can down the road term after term because we’re all too chicken,” which earned a point of order from Mayor Sean Krausert, but ultimately gained council support saying it was an important step for a community looking to be environmental leaders.
Couns. Tanya Foubert and Karen Marra were the votes against the full-scale removal of election signs on public property, with each having a preference for allowing temporary signage on certain public spots.
Marra said it can be an “opportunity for people who are new to the community and you want to have some input or impact on your community.”
Foubert added some options for public property should remain, highlighting the signage is temporary for a matter of weeks.
“I don’t think we should be eliminating completely the ability for those seeking public office to use signage on public property. I’m not opposed to challenging the status quo, but I think that has been a normal within our democracy for a long time,” she said. “Personally, I don’t think it looks good, but at the time of an election I don’t think it’s supposed to look good because it’s temporary.”
Council directed Town staff in 2022 to look at options for election signs on Town property. Town staff returned in late 2023, with council directing them in late 2023 to prepare a bylaw that would restrict municipal election signage to private property. However, it would potentially allow public locations at four spots in the community.
Town staff returned for council’s March 5 meeting to gain additional clarity before returning for any consideration of changes to the land use bylaw.
When council approved the previous direction, several complaints had been noted during the 2021 municipal election. Several candidates had re-used signs, but there were also homemade signs, while some candidates put out few if any signage.
In addition to complaints on signage, concerns were raised about costs prohibiting candidates from running, how signs could be seen as a single-use plastic item and signage possibly having little influence on voting.
Under the land use bylaw, election signs are allowed on private and municipally-owned land and are allowed to be up to 0.5 square metres in size. Mobile signs, which are painted or attached to a vehicle, aren’t allowed.
A fine for a first offence is $50, $100 for a second offence and $250 for third and additional offences in the same calendar year.
In 2018, council previously considered prohibiting election signs on public property but it was soundly defeated.
Coun. Jeff Hilstad echoed McCallum on the need to connect with voters, saying signs don’t necessarily correlate with the amount of votes a candidate gets, but connecting with voters is the best way to possibly gain support.
“To me, the signs are a way to get your name out there, but going out and knocking on doors to ask them to put a sign up does have more of an impact,” he said.
