The Problem:
Oak Ridges is under siege by an overwhelming flood of illegally placed advertising signs cluttering our streets, sidewalks, and green spaces. These unregulated signs:
Ruin our communities’ appearance and contribute to visual pollution.
Increase litter and waste, often ending up in storm drains, waterways, and landfills.
Exploit public property (mailboxes, street signs, light poles, garbage bins) without accountability.
Undermine fair business practices by allowing anyone to litter public space with ads, creating an eyesore for residents.
our solution
A Smarter Sign Strategy for Richmond Hill 💡
At Sick of Signs (SOS), we believe clean streets are the foundation of a proud, livable community. We’re not against advertising—but we are against unchecked clutter, forgotten signage, and visual pollution that turns our public spaces into a dumping ground for self-promotion.
We propose a modern, fair, and enforceable system that works for residents, ethical businesses, and the city alike:
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Establish a centralized online registry (integrated into the city’s website) where all temporary sign postings—real estate, contractor, service, event—must be registered before placement.
Each entry must include:Business or individual name
Verifiable phone number
Mailing address
Type of sign
Number of signs being posted
Start and removal date
⚠️ Posting a sign without registration should be grounds for immediate removal and fining.
City inspectors and residents should be able to verify registration using a visible QR code or registration ID printed on the sign. -
Update the sign by-law to allow each advertiser or business a maximum of 4 active signs at any time city-wide.
All signs must be linked to an active permit issued for a specific address, event, or job.
Permits are time-limited, e.g. 7–14 days depending on sign type (open house, sale, service work, etc.).
A business wishing to exceed 4 signs must submit a formal request justifying the need, subject to council approval or additional fees.
🔒 Limiting the number of signs prevents visual saturation and encourages more intentional, targeted promotion.
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Amend the by-law to include a clear, citywide ban on placing any signs, stickers, or posters on:
Street signs
Light poles and hydro poles
Mailboxes
Garbage bins
Traffic signal posts
Public benches or furniture
School and library fences
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Require all registered signs to be removed within 24 hours of the associated job or event ending.
Contractors: sign must be removed 1 day after final work day
Realtors: 1 day after open house or accepted offer
Event promoters: 1 day post-event
Service postings: 1 day after final service visit
⏳ The permit system should include an automatic expiry date, after which the sign becomes unauthorized.
City staff or approved community volunteers can be authorized to report or remove expired signs. -
Introduce a graduated enforcement schedule to deter repeat offenders:
1st offense💸 $450 per sign, immediate removal
2nd offense💸 $900 fine, written warning3rd offense🚫 12-month ban from posting signs city-wide4th offense🚷 24-month ban
3rd offense🧨 Permanent prohibition from using physical signage in Richmond Hill
All offenses should be tracked in the registration system, with offenders notified via email and public complaint log.
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Applicants submit their sign designs for city review.
Approved signs get a “Trusted Sticker” and status—a badge that can be printed on signs or listed in the public database.
“Trusted Posters” may qualify for:
Lower permit fees
Extended durations (e.g. 21 days instead of 14)
Reduced inspections
Public directory of trusted vendors on the city’s site
This creates a positive incentive structure and encourages brand responsibility.
Proposed Penalties
🧹 Action: Immediate removal
✉️ Action: Written warning issued
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sounds like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest.
Why Richmond Hill Needs Smarter Sign Rules
Our streets are being overrun by unregulated, unattractive signage. From hydro poles and garbage bins to busy intersections, advertising signs have become a form of visual pollution—with limited accountability and inconsistent enforcement.
While cities like Vaughan have clearer policies, Richmond Hill’s by-law enforcement has lagged, allowing illegal signs to clutter our streets and degrade our public spaces.
The Sick of Signs (SOS) initiative proposes a cleaner, fairer system that protects residents and holds advertisers responsible—without penalizing ethical small businesses or realtors.
Why Richmond Hill Needs Smarter Sign Rules
The Sign Situation: What’s Allowed, What’s Broken, What We Need.
Let’s compare what Vaughan allows, what Richmond Hill currently enforces, and what SOS proposes to move our city forward:
| ⚖️ Category | Vaughan | Richmond Hill | SOS Proposed Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate open house signs | Max 3 signs, ≤72 hrs, 0.6m², no permit, must list address | Permit required, strict limits, enforcement varies | Max 3 signs, permit required, must include phone & address |
| For-sale signs (private property) | 1 sign per lot, remove within 14 days | Allowed, but enforcement is inconsistent | Limit 4 per advertiser, all permit-based |
| Mobile signage (A-frames, portable) | Permitted w/ spacing & permit, no limit on renewals | Strictly limited, very few allowed on public property | Permitted with accountability, permit + registry required |
| Public property sign postings | Prohibited on signs, poles, bins; enforced inconsistently | Strictly prohibited; fines apply, but often ignored | Total ban; $450 fine per sign, zero tolerance |
| Mandatory contact info | No | No | Yes – verifiable phone number on every sign |
| Removal timeframe | Within 72 hrs (open house) / 14 days (sales) | Not always defined clearly in policy | 24 hrs after event/job ends, or auto-fine |
| Penalty for violations | Up to $5K (individual), $50K (corporate) | $500 per violation (variable enforcement) | $450 per sign, escalating to 12–24 month and permanent bans |
GET FIT while helping your community!
Each week we will schedule walks throughout our community. Residents are encouraged to remove signs and dispose of them at designated garbage bins.
We will provide a map of the neighborhood with your designated bin.
REALTORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS!
BECOME VISIBLE BY BECOMMING ETHICAL.
By placing our stamp on your sign, it shows that you support the ethical principles that we lay out for respectable, trustworthy and ethical realtors.
Meet the team
SOS 3-Year Plan (at a glance):
We’re cutting illegal signage in Richmond Hill by 70% through a simple path: Year 1 proves the model on key corridors with volunteer cleanups and a public dashboard; Year 2 scales citywide with a self-serve permit registry, QR verification, and stronger enforcement; Year 3 embeds the system with the City for long-term upkeep. Join us as a volunteer or $10/month donor to keep our streets clean.
Our
community vision
support the movement for a cleaner community.
Your purchase directly supports efforts to remove illegal, forgotten signs and stickers that litter our streets, parks, and public spaces. Together, we’re not just buying merch—we’re reclaiming our community from visual pollution.
Look good. Do good. Make Richmond Hill beautiful again.
help support our cause
Support our mission by contributing today.
Report a sign.
If you are tired of these visual pollutants clogging our community roads and neighbourhoods, then you are not alone.
Please provide us with your information