Surrey’s MLA candidates, victors and losers, are finding themselves in a brand new race.
To take down their elections signs, that is.
“The Elections Act does not specify when signs are to be removed,” noted Melanie Hull, a communications coordinator for Elections BC. “Municipalities may have rules about this, and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure regulates sign placement along provincial highways, medians, bridges and along major roadways.”
But Surrey City bylaws manager Jas Rehal says there is a 14-day deadline, after election night, to get those signs down in this city.
“We’re half-way through,” he said. “We’re seeing signs come down and we’ll monitor it as we get closer to that date.
“There’s always the odd straggling signs out there.”
Rehal said candidates and their people are encouraged to take their signs to Emterra Environmental, at 6362 148th St., for recycling. He said it’s a “pretty good part” of Surrey’s recycling program. A representative of Emterra told the Now-Leader on Tuesday that he hadn’t yet seen any signs come through but Rehal said he’s been told otherwise and “apparently they’re coming through.”
The City will levy a $200 fine for non-compliance and charge the sign owner for removal if necessary. That said, Rehal noted that the city has not had to issue a ticket after the last three elections, civic, federal and most recently provincial.
“This time around is not too bad. They went up, and they’re starting to come down. So far, so good,” Rehal said.
“The odd time we have to pick them up, but it’s very rare.
“Primarily our complaints come with, if the sign is violating a sightline and somebody can’t see” oncoming traffic or a crosswalk. “Those are the ones we get complaints on and we act on. Those are the ones we take very seriously.”