Election Sign Guidelines

• Step 1: Fill out the 

  Election Sign Permit Application
  Election Sign Checklist

• Step 2: Send the application and checklist to electionsigns@markham.ca . Along with Candidate Proof of Address (allow 24 hours to process)

• Step 3: City staff will contact you to with information regarding Markham’s election sign regulations

• Step 4: You will receive instructions on how to pay for your permit online

  • $289 City of Markham Municipal Road Election Sign Permit

  • $310 York Region Election Sign Permit

  • Municipal permits can be purchased online (via Markham’s Licensing Department Payment Portal)

• Step 5: After you submit your payment, you will receive a confirmation email that your application has been approved and that your requested permit(s) have been issued

Election signs cannot be set up until your application is approved and payment has been received and confirmed.

• Sign Area: 1.49 square metres (16 square feet) maximum

• Height: 1.22 metres (4 feet) maximum

• Width: 1.22 metres (4 feet) maximum

• Height off the ground: 2 metres (6.6 feet) above the ground maximum

Election signs are permitted on private property, provided that:

• The property owner, tenant or occupant of the property consents

• Only one election sign per candidate or third party advertiser

• The election sign does not interfere with the safe operation of vehicular traffic or impair the safety of pedestrians

• No election sign can obstruct or impede any fire escape, fire exit, door, window, scuttle, skylight, flue or air intake or exhaust or impede the free access of emergency personnel to any part of a building including emergency water connections and/or fire hydrants

• In a rural residential area or on a farm, election signs shall only be placed within the portion of private property being maintained for residential purposes

• Within heritage districts, election signs are not permitted on the abutting municipal boulevard

Election signs are permitted on City and Regional property in the following locations:

• A boulevard adjoining a residential lot, where the property owner has consented to the placement of the election sign

• On municipal and regional road allowances at the designated intersections and they must comply with the following:

  • No more than two election signs per candidate or third party advertiser are permitted at any designated intersection

  • No portion of an election sign can be within three metres of the curb, the edge of the highway or the shoulder of the highway

  • No portion of an election sign can be within one metre of a sidewalk

  • Election signs can be placed within 50 metres of the corner, but cannot be placed within the sight triangle

  • Election signs on public property are prohibited in heritage districts

• Election Sign Placement Restriction Diagram [PDF]

• Each candidate is permitted to use signage under the City’s Election Sign Bylaw, except for mobile, portable and banner signage at one designated election campaign office

• A single election sign, displaying the words “Campaign Headquarters” can be placed on private property

• Within 42 days of Election Day, election signs can be placed in windows of the portion of the building occupied by the candidate’s election campaign office

• Election campaign offices located in a residential or institutional zone are only permitted signage as allowed in the City of Markham’s Sign Bylaw 2002-94 as amended

• Candidates and third party advertisers may install election signs starting on the day after the writ is drawn on City and private property once the proper permits have been obtained

• All signs need to be removed within 72 hours of the election and is the responsibility of election candidates

• Following the Election, candidates and third party advertisers are welcome to recycle coroplast (corrugated plastic) election signs at select York Region Waste Depots

• During the Election, bylaw officers will be ensuring compliance with both the City’s and Region’s Sign Bylaws

• Election signs will be removed without notice if deemed a hazard to public safety or placed in contravention of either bylaw

• A $29 service fee will be applied for each election sign found in contravention and removed by City staff

• All candidates will receive a weekly report that will include:

  • Any Election signs removed

  • The location of where the election sign was removed

  • The reason why the election sign was removed

Signs found in contravention and removed by City staff during the election will be held by the City until after Election Day, and will not be returned until that time.

• Candidates will be notified of where and how to retrieve their election signs after the Election

• All elections signs that are not retrieved during this period will be disposed of by the City

For election sign-related inquiries, contact us at electionsigns@markham.ca.