by Ari Perlin-Bain
There are new signs across Toronto that election day is coming up.
A John Tory lawn sign is pictured in south Etobicoke on Oct. 2, 2014. (Ari Perlin-Bain/Humber News)
As of midnight, #voteTO campaigns could start posting lawn signs. And they did. #TOpoli http://t.co/8JdEdDvlyq pic.twitter.com/JaRVCIyGYU
— CityNews Toronto (@CityNews) October 2, 2014
As Oct. 27 gets closer, volunteer teams for the top three mayoral candidates set out overnight Thursday to begin setting up lawn signs across the city.
Starting midnight last night, the city allowed mayoral candidates and city council hopefuls to start setting up lawn signs on private and public property.
@oliviachow had a great night with Matt putting up signs in Scarborough! #topoli #Olivia4Mayor pic.twitter.com/YO8thdZjct — Alexandra Eshelman (@emphasis_added) October 2, 2014
#TeamTory hard at work getting ready for sign night! #TOpoli #TOgether #TO pic.twitter.com/Uam6mmmzVg — John Tory Campaign (@JohnTO2014) October 1, 2014
In south and central Etobicoke, lawn signs were up in support of Doug Ford and John Tory.
Lawn signs in support of Doug Ford are pictured on The Westway in Etobicoke. (Ari Perlin-Bain/Humber News)
Manuel Ourenco, 80, a resident on The Westway in Etobicoke, signed up to have a Ford for Mayor sign on his lawn.
He said he respects the Ford brothers for putting the people of Toronto first.
“Since [David] Crombie, the mayors of our city have been garbage, and on City Council and in City Hall, the Fords are the only good thing there,” said Ourenco
“The rest of them don’t know how to communicate with the people, the Fords are an exception.”
South of Royal York Road and Bloor Street West, realtor Marjorie Friesen, had a Tory sign set up on her lawn.
A sign for Olivia Chow is pictured on Eglinton Ave. West at Kipling Ave. in Etobicoke on Oct. 2, 2014. (Ari Perlin-Bain/Humber News)
She said she’s tired of the Ford family’s reign at City Hall and that Tory is the only candidate capable of the job.
“Who else can get things done aside from Tory?” Friesen asks.
“We’re a world class city and the Fords made a laughing stock out of us, so it’s time to get back on track.”
According to city documents, lawn signs are allowed on private property only with the consent of the owner, the same goes for signs in storefronts and local businesses.
To put up signs on public streets, a $250 fee must be paid by the campaign to the city.
If putting signs on public or private property, city documents say they must adhere to specific measurement rules.
A full list of lawn sign rules regulated by the City can be found here: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=5b81f5630b9d6410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=eddb19f155cb0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD)
Advanced polls will be open for voters from Oct. 14-19.
The most recent poll by Mainstreet Technologies sees Doug Ford in second place to Tory in terms of voters’ support. Ford is at 30 per cent, only seven behind Tory, in the lead, at 37%. Olivia Chow currently has 21 per cent of the voters’ support.
Game over for Olivia Chow? @GlobeNow takes a look at recent polls in Toronto mayoral race http://t.co/JEmKmoeCfk pic.twitter.com/D7ueLBnjUS
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) October 1, 2014