Québec, August 3, 2012– Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, would like to recall the rules governing posters and billboards during an election period. Pursuant to the Election Act, here are the rules that must be followed. 

Posters and billboards in public places

It is permitted to place posters and billboards on public utility poles.

It is also permitted to place posters and billboards

• on government property;
• on the property of public organizations;
• on the property of state corporations;
• on municipal property;
• on the property of school boards.

However, posters and billboards are not permitted on buildings belonging to these organizations and bodies.

Posters and billboards on public roads

Posters and billboards on public roads must be placed in such a way as to not hinder vehicular or pedestrian traffic, interfere visually with road signs or compromise road or public safety.

Posters and billboards on historic monuments

No poster or billboard relating to an election can be placed on a historic monument or at a historic site within the meaning of the Cultural Property Act or on a site declared a national historic site under that Act.

The rules applying to other forms of posters and billboards

Furthermore, no poster or billboard can be placed on:

• a monument;
• a sculpture;
• a tree;
• a fire hydrant;
• a bridge;
• an overpass;
• a transmission tower;
• a bus shelter (unless the shelter has a space reserved for this purpose);
• the right of way of a public road that is contiguous to a residential immovable  (the right of way is the strip of land belonging to the municipality);
• private property: no poster or billboard can be placed there without the owner's permission;
• polling stations: all posters and billboards are banned on the premises of a polling station. This includes the building where the polling station is located and any neighbouring property where the poster may be seen by electors.

Special conditions for posters and billboards

Posters and billboards and their supports must be made of good quality materials and must be safe and kept in good repair. Posters and billboards must be affixed in such a way as to be easily removable.

Election posters placed on public utility poles must meet the following conditions:

• the highest part of the poster must not be more than five (5) metres above ground;
• the poster must not have any metal or wooden frame;
• the poster must not be affixed with nails or metal fasteners or with any support that could cause damage to or leave permanent marks on the pole;
• the poster must not obstruct any identification plate on the pole.

No election banner, streamer or flag may be affixed to a public utility pole. Workers who maintain public utility poles may, if they consider it necessary for the purposes of the work to be done, remove any election poster from a pole. Except in an emergency, they shall first notify, as the case may be, the candidate or the authorized party that the election poster must be removed.

End of the period for placing posters and billboards

All election posters and billboards must be removed not later than 15 days after polling day, failing which they may be removed by the municipality or by the owner of the property or poles at the expense of party, the candidate or the private intervenor following the expiry of a five-day notice to that effect transmitted to the party, candidate or private intervenor.

Finally, it is important to note that anyone who violates a provision of the Act concerning posters and billboards during the election period is liable to a fine.

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