Municipal election signs now allowed in Ottawa

Election signs for Somerset ward candidates along Scott Street on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. (Christopher Black/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa residents woke up on Friday morning, opened up their eyes and saw the signs.

Election signs, to be more specific.

Starting Friday, candidates for mayor, councillor and school board trustee are allowed to place election signs on public and private property.

Many Ottawa neighbourhoods were plastered with the signs in the early morning hours, making major intersections and thoroughfares look a little bit different than usual.

To fall within the rules, signs on public property cannot be:

• within three metres of an intersection;
• within 50 centimetres of a sidewalk, or where there is no sidewalk, within two metres of the roadway or within 50 centimetres of the edge of a shoulder; or
• placed on central medians, including in roundabouts.

The city is also reminding people that damaging election signs is a criminal offence. Police issued a similar warning last week, saying those caught vandalizing the signs would be charged.

Election Day is Oct. 24. The signs must be removed 72 hours after voting day, so by the end of the day on Oct. 27.