Council to Review Options on Graffiti After Mayor Revises Proposal

Mayor Cam Guthrie has scaled back a proposal that would have required property owners to promptly remove graffiti from their buildings.

At Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, Mayor Cam Guthrie introduced a revised motion directing city staff to study the issue and return with options for council’s consideration in the first quarter of next year. Guthrie said he still views graffiti, particularly downtown, as a growing concern but acknowledged feedback led him to broaden the approach.

The committee unanimously supported the motion, which calls on staff to define graffiti and outline possible responses. These could include a bylaw, as well as alternatives such as volunteer cleanups, mural programs, education efforts, and partnerships to speed up graffiti removal on private property.

Deputy CAO Colleen Clack-Bush cautioned that a bylaw would create new costs. Currently, the city does not remove graffiti from its own property unless it is offensive. If council directs staff to prepare a bylaw, she said additional funding would need to be included in the city’s 2027 operating budget.

Clack-Bush also noted that pursuing a graffiti bylaw would delay other bylaw review projects already underway. No community engagement is planned at this stage, though she said it would occur if council decides to proceed with a bylaw.

The committee’s decision must still be confirmed by council, with Guthrie’s revised motion expected to appear on the Sept. 16 agenda.