Signage and Community Harmony

Presented by: Cecilia Achiam

Director, Administration & Compliance

March 12, 2015

What Concerns Has the Community Expressed?

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• Many signs are in languages other than

English.

• Circulation of promotional materials and

advertisements that are not in English.

Together they lead to some public concern

about the need to regulate signs to include

English.

What People See…Some signs are regulated by the Richmond Sign Bylaw, some are not

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What People See: Advertisement/ News paper/ Promotional Material are not regulated by Bylaw

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Advertisement

Flyers Free Newspaper Inserts/Ethnic

Newspapers

Authority to Regulate

• The Province gave local governments the

following authority to regulate signs and other

advertising in Chapter 26 (Section 65) of the

Community Charter:

– The authority of a council…may be exercised in

relation to the erection, placing, alteration,

maintenance, demolition and removal of signs,

sign boards, advertisements, advertising devices

and structures.

• Changes to bylaws are on a going forward

basis only.4

Legal Opinion on Language Restriction

• External legal opinion is that “a bylaw which

imposed an English language content

requirement, whether or not in addition to

another language, would violate section 2(b)

of the Charter of Rights and Freedom (Charter)

by infringing on the right to freedom of

expression.”

• The City would need to establish that

compelling health, safety, economic or social

welfare objectives are at stake to justify a limit

on the Charter freedom.5

1. Richmond Sign Bylaw (No. 5560)

• Regulates the size, design and location of

exterior signage.

• Some signs require a sign permit from the

City prior to installation. (e.g. business

canopy and freestanding signs).

• Other signs do not require a sign permit.

(e.g. directional signs and for sale or lease

sign).

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Sign Regulated by the Sign Bylaw

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• Business signs on the exterior of the building

require a sign permit from the City prior to

installation.

Examples of Business Signs Regulated by the Sign Permit

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2. Election and Political Signs (Bylaw No. 8713)

• Regulates the temporary signage erected

during elections.

• No sign permit is required.

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3. Rezoning and Development Permit Signs

• Required as part of the rezoning and

development permit process.

• These signs describe in English the location

and proposed development.

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Current State: Signs that Do Not Need a Permit

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• Directional signs and for sale or lease signs

do not require a sign permit.

Current State: Example of Signage Not Regulated by Bylaws

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• Interior signs in shopping

centres.

• Advertisement on bus

shelters.

• Flyers/Insert/Ethnic

Newspapers.

Analysis: Compliance

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• Between 2012 to February 2015, the City

issued 1118 sign permits with 50 (4.5%) in a

non-English language only.

Data

YearSum of English Only

Sum of Mixed Languages

Sum of Non-English Languages

2012 243 31 42013 236 71 142014 226 36 132015 83 142 19

Grand Total 788 280 50

0

50

100

150

200

250

2012 2013 2014 2015

Sum of English Only

Sum of Mixed Languages

Sum of Non-English Languages

Referral from City Council from October 27, 2014

1. staff consult with the sign

owners to encourage more use

of the English language on their

signs;

• Since December 19, 2014, 1000+

visual inspections in City Centre,

nearly 600 face to face visits

• 10 businesses with non-English only

signs found

• Nearly 250 new sign applications

received. All businesses include

some English in their signage14

Referral from City Council from October 27, 2014

2. staff engage in a broad

public consultation on the

language on signs issue;

• Email:

signsconsult@richmond.ca

• Web: www.richmond.ca/signage

• Let’s Talk Richmond

• Notice with Business License

Renewal (1 year cycle) & New

Applications

• Community Workshop on March

12, 2015 moderated by SFU

Centre for Dialogue15

Referral from City Council from October 27, 2014:

3. Referred to the Richmond

Intercultural Advisory Committee

(RIAC), the Richmond Chamber of

Commerce, the Richmond

Chinese Community Society, and

other appropriate business

associations for comment;

• Doing Business in Richmond

Brochure

• Council endorsed RIAC Strategic

Plan and Work Program16

Referral from City Council from October 27, 2014 (Con’t)

4. Staff compile relevant information on the

effect of the sign issue on community

harmony that would be necessary to

support adoption of a bylaw regulating

language on signs should that option be

considered in the future;

• Research paper by UBC Geography School-

Professor Dan Hiebert and PhD student Elanna

Nolan on Social Cohesion, Diversity and

Lessons Learned from other jurisdictions.

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Referral from City Council from October 27, 2014 (Con’t)

5. staff report back to Council within 6

months on the effectiveness of the

measures for Council to determine if a

bylaw needs to be considered.

• On track to report back to Council in Spring

2015

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Conclusion-So what may be the issue?

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Visual

Clutter?

What others are doing?

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• Surrey updated its Sign

Bylaw specifically to

address visual clutter.

• Invested in outreach efforts.

“Signage” Promoting Community Harmony

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Today’s Workshop…

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Questions?

Thank you

Cecilia AchiamDirector, Administration and Compliance

cachiam@richmond.ca

604 276-4122

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