TREB has received a communication from the City of Markham to remind REALTORS® of their obligations under the Markham Sign By-law.
Compliance with Sign By-laws is IMPORTANT
TREB strongly encourages all Members to comply with all municipal sign by-law requirements. In recent months, TREB has received numerous complaints from officials of various municipalities, including the City of Toronto, about sign by-law infringements by TREB Members.
Please remember that most municipal sign by-laws provide a convenient level of leniency for real estate signs, and, in many cases, TREB has worked hard to maintain these conditions to allow Members to conduct their business. However, municipalities have the authority to significantly strengthen their sign by-laws as they apply to real estate signs, and repeated infringements could lead to such tightening of the rules, including potential requirements to pay sign permit fees (not currently required), an outright ban of open-house signs, increased fines, etc.
Municipal communications such as that noted above are typically regarded as a first courtesy step to request compliance. If infringements continue after such a warning, it is distinctly possible that municipalities will begin to tighten their by-laws, which could impact the way REALTORS® do business.
Your compliance with municipal sign by-laws is requested and appreciated.