Regulations for Residential Sign Districts

Regulations for Commercial Residential Sign Districts

This summary is for convenience purposes only, please refer to Chapter 694 of the Municipal Code or By-law No. 196-2010 for detailed information

Scope
Permitted Sign Classes
Permitted Sign Types
Exemption from Permit Requirements
General Regulations
Prohibited Signs
Illumination
First Party Signs

First Party General Sign Regulations
District Specific First Party Sign Regulations

Third Party Signs

Third party sign general regulations.
Energy Efficiency Requirements
Site Specific Area Restrictions
District Specific Third Party Sign Regulations

§ 694-2. Scope.

A. This chapter is intended to regulate all signs in the City with the exception of the following:

(1) Signs governed by Article II, Election Signs, and Article III, Temporary Signs, of Chapter 693, Signs, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code;

(2) Signs erected or displayed wholly within the public right of way on structures, elements, or fixtures provided by or on behalf of the City and governed by an agreement with the City;

(3) Banner signs and pennants erected or displayed in accordance with an approval granted by the City’s Transportation Services Division;

(4) Signs erected or displayed by the Toronto Transit Commission to identify transit stops;

(5) Signs associated with special events and functions erected or displayed in accordance with an approval granted by the City’s Economic Development & Culture Division;

(6) Signs expressly permitted under a film permit issued in accordance with Chapter 459, Filming, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code;

(7) A sign within a building other than a window sign;

(8) Signs regulating traffic; and

(9) Official Signs.

B. This chapter shall apply to signs erected, displayed, or substantially altered on or after the day this chapter comes into force.

C. This chapter shall not apply to a sign that was lawfully erected or displayed on the day this chapter comes into force provided the sign is not substantially altered.

D. Any sign by-law passed by the City and still in effect prior to the day this chapter comes into force shall remain in effect but shall apply only to signs that were lawfully erected or displayed on the day this chapter comes into force provided the signs are not substantially altered.

§ 694-4 (A) Permitted Sign Classes:

FIRST PARTY SIGN - A sign which identifies, advertises, promotes, or directs attention to a business, service, or activity available at the premises where the sign is located.

THIRD PARTY SIGN - A sign which advertises, promotes, or directs attention to businesses, goods, services, matters, or activities that are not available at or related to the premises where the sign is located.

§ 694-4 (B) Permitted Sign Types:

WALL SIGN - A sign erected on and entirely supported by the wall of a building with a sign face which projects no more than 0.60 metres from the wall.

GROUND SIGN - A freestanding sign which is permanently affixed to the ground and not supported in any manner by a building.

OVERHANGING STRUCTURE SIGN - A sign erected on an overhanging structure.

PROJECTING SIGN - A sign erected on and entirely supported by the wall of a building and which projects more than 0.60 metres from the wall.

TOPIARY SIGN - A sign consisting only of shrubs, grasses, flowers, ornamental plants and landscape elements.

FUEL PUMP SIGN - A sign erected or displayed on or attached to a fuel pump authorized by law.

WINDOW SIGN - A sign erected, painted, attached, etched, inscribed, or projected onto the inside or outside of any part of a window in a wall, a sign located within or in place of the glass of a window, or any other sign erected or displayed in a manner so as to be visible through the window from the exterior of the building but does not include a sign that forms part of a window display.

§ 694-6. Exemption from permit requirements.

A. The following signs are permitted and may be erected, displayed, modified or restored in all sign districts without obtaining a sign permit under this chapter provided they comply in all other respects with the provisions of this chapter:

(1) A first party sign, the primary purpose of which is not to identify a business located on the premises on which the sign is erected, where the sign face area does not exceed 0.6 square metres;

(2) A topiary sign with a height not exceeding 0.6 metres;

(3) A sign erected by a charitable, cultural or community organization or BIA for the purpose of advertising events held or sponsored by such organization provided:

(a) The sign face area does not exceed 10.0 square metres; and

(b) The sign is removed immediately upon completion of the event.

(4) A flag, banner, or emblem of a country, province, municipality or civic, educational, or religious organizations or institutions, and such signs may be permitted to move;

(5) A sign identifying any matters of memorial, commemorative or historical interest provided the sign face area does not exceed 2.0 square metres;

(6) A sign displaying the name of the owner, contractor, consultant or any other party affiliated with the ongoing construction or demolition of a building provided the sign is removed immediately upon the completion or discontinuation thereof and the sign face area does not exceed 5.2 square metres;

(7) Fuel pump signs provided the total sign face area of all such signs does not exceed 0.5 square metres; and

(8) A first party window sign, other than in an R or RA sign district, provided:

(a) The total sign face area of all such signs shall not exceed 25 percent of the area of the window excluding its frame;

(b) The sign shall not be located above the second storey of a building; and

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), the sign shall not be located above the third storey of a building in the Chinatown Special Sign District.

§ 694-14 General Regulations.

A. Where this chapter requires a sign to be erected or displayed a minimum distance from another sign or a sign district, no part of the sign shall be located within the applicable minimum distance.

B. Where a property is located in more than one sign district, the provisions applicable to the sign district where the sign is to be located shall apply.

C. No sign shall move, in whole or in part, unless otherwise expressly permitted by this chapter.

D. No sign or sign copy shall be projected onto a building or any other surface from or by a source external to the sign or sign copy unless otherwise expressly permitted by this chapter.

E. Signs shall display only static copy unless otherwise expressly permitted by this chapter.

F. A sign displaying electronic moving copy or electronic static copy shall be designed so as to cease operating in the case of a malfunction.

G. Where this chapter requires the sign face area to be calculated as a percentage of the area of the wall of a building, the area of the wall shall include the windows located therein.

H. There shall be a minimum vertical clearance of 2.5 metres from the ground, sidewalk, or walkway to the lowest point of an overhanging structure sign and a projecting sign located above.

I. Where this chapter permits a sign to display electronic static copy, the following requirements shall be met:

(1) The message duration shall not be less than 10 seconds;

(2) The message transition shall not exceed 1.0 second; and

(3) During the message transition, the sign shall not display any visible effects, including but not limited to action, motion, fading, dissolving, blinking, intermittent, or flashing light or the illusion of such effects.

J. Where this chapter permits a sign to display readograph copy and the readograph copy is changed electronically, the following requirements shall be met:

(1) The message duration shall not be less than 10 seconds;

(2) The message transition shall not exceed 1.0 second; and

K. A fuel pump sign containing electronic static copy or electronic moving copy is permitted provided:

(1) The sign shall only be erected or displayed on top of the fuel pump;

(2) There shall be no more than one such sign on each fuel pump;

(3) The sign face area shall not exceed 0.2 square metres;

(4) The sign shall have no more than one sign face;

(5) The height shall not exceed 2.5 metres;

(6) The sign shall not face a street except where the sign is obstructed such that it is not visible from the street or except where the sign is set back a minimum of 12.0 m from the street; and,

(7) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the total number of fuel pump signs erected or displayed on the premises shall not exceed 50% of the total number of fuel pumps located on the premises.

§ 694-15 Prohibited Signs

A. Anything not expressly permitted by this chapter is prohibited.

B. The following are expressly prohibited:

(1) A sign erected on a tree or a fence;

(2) A roof sign;

(3) A sign erected on a parked vehicle or trailer where the primary purpose of the vehicle or trailer is the display of the sign;

(4) A sign erected on a vehicular, railway or pedestrian bridge;

(5) A sign which obstructs or interferes in any way with the use of any fire escape, fire exit, door, flue, air intake, exhaust, or required parking space or window, but shall not include a window sign permitted by this chapter;

(6) A sign which interferes with any electrical or telephone wires or associated supports;

(7) A sign emitting sound or odour;

(8) A sign discharging any gas, liquid, or solid;

(9) A sign containing interactive copy; and

(10) A sign located within a visibility zone.

§ 694-18 Illumination

A. No first party sign shall be illuminated at any time when a smog alert is in effect.

B. All first party signs shall cease to be illuminated within four hours of the issuance of the smog alert.

C. No sign shall be illuminated between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. except where:

(1) The sign is a first party sign associated with a lawful business which operates during this period and only while the business is actually in operation; or

(2) The sign is located in the Downtown Yonge Street Special Sign District, the Dundas Square Special Sign District, or the Gardiner Gateway Special Sign District.

D. Subsections A, B and C shall not apply to the following:

(1) Hospitals, emergency treatment facilities and blood banks;

(2) Telephone exchanges;

(3) Power generating stations and electrical substations;

(4) Control centres for land transportation;

(5) Public transit facilities;

(6) Public water treatment and storage facilities;

(7) Water and sewage pumping stations;

(8) Emergency response facilities;

(9) Fire, rescue, and police stations;

(10) Storage facilities for vehicles or boats used for fire, rescue and police purposes; and

(11) Communication facilities, including radio and television stations.

E. Unless otherwise expressly prohibited by this chapter, all signs may be illuminated provided the following requirements are met:

(1) The sign shall not be up-lit,

(2) The light shall not project onto any adjacent premises located in an R, RA, CR, I, or OS sign district;

(3) The illumination shall not increase the light levels within 10.0 metres of all points of the sign face by more than 6.5 lux above the ambient lighting level;

(4) The illumination shall not exceed 5,000 nits during the period between sunrise and sunset; and

(5) The illumination shall not exceed 500 nits during the period between sunset and sunrise.

§ 694-20 First Party Sign General Regulations

A. First party signs may advertise, promote, or direct attention to goods available at the premises where the sign is located provided the portion of the sign copy which advertises, promotes, or directs attention to goods available at the premises does not exceed 30 percent of the total area of the sign copy.

B. Notwithstanding Subsection A, in the case of a projecting sign, the portion of the sign copy which advertises, promotes, or directs attention to goods available at the premises may equal 100 percent of the total area of the sign copy.

C. The total sign face area of all first party wall, window and overhanging structure signs erected at the first storey of a building shall not exceed 20% of the area of the wall at the first storey on which the signs are erected and from which the overhanging structures project.

D. The total sign face area of all first party wall, window and overhanging structure signs erected at the second storey of a building shall not exceed 10% of the area of the wall at the second storey on which the signs are erected and from which the overhanging structures project.

E. Up to 50% of the sign face area of a first party ground sign located on a premises in an RA, C, CR, E, EIO, I, U, or OS sign district may contain readograph copy to a maximum of 5.0 square metres.

F. Up to 30% of the sign face area of a first party wall sign located on a premises in a C or CR sign district may contain readograph copy to a maximum of 5.0 square metres.

G. Notwithstanding Subsection A and Section 694-21, the following ground signs associated with a drive-through facility permitted by the City’s applicable Zoning By-law are permitted in each drive-through lane:

(1) A sign containing electronic moving copy or electronic static copy but not both provided:

(a) The sign face area shall not exceed 0.7 square metres;

(b) The height shall not exceed 2.0 metres; and

(2) A sign for the purpose of providing information about the products or services of the drive-through facility provided:

(a) The sign face area shall not exceed 6.0 square metres;

(b) The height shall not exceed 3.0 metres; and

(3) A sign for the purpose of providing information about the products or services of the drive-through facility provided:

(a) The sign face area shall not exceed 1.8 square metres;

(b) The height shall not exceed 2.5 metres; and

§ 694-21 (C) District Specific First Party Sign Regulations

A C-Commercial sign district may contain the following:

(1) An overhanging structure sign provided:

(a) The sign shall not be erected on an overhanging structure located above the second storey of a building;

(b) Where the overhanging structure is located at the first storey of a building, the total sign face area of all signs erected on any part of the overhanging structure shall not exceed 50% of the external surface area of that part of the overhanging structure;

(c) Where the overhanging structure is located at the second storey of a building, the total sign face area of all signs erected on any part of the overhanging structure shall not exceed 25% of the external surface area of that part of the overhanging structure;

(d) Subsections C(1)(b) and (c) do not apply where the sign is displayed in whole or in part above, below, or extending beyond the overhanging structure;

(e) Where the sign is displayed in whole or in part above the overhanging structure, it shall not extend more than 1 metre above the overhanging structure; and

(f) The sign shall not extend beyond either end of the wall from which the overhanging structure projects.

(2) A ground sign providing direction erected at a point of vehicular ingress and egress to a premises provided:

(a) The sign face area shall not exceed 0.5 square metres;

(b) The height shall not exceed 1.5 metres;

(d) There shall be no more than two such signs erected at each point of vehicular ingress and egress to the premises.

(3) A ground sign, other than a sign providing direction permitted by Subsection C(2), provided:

(a) There shall be no more than one such sign erected at each frontage;

(b) Notwithstanding Subsection C(3)(a), where a frontage exceeds 200 metres, two signs may be erected provided they are separated by a distance of 100 metres;

(c) The sign face area shall not exceed 0.3 square metres for each 1.0 metre or part thereof of frontage at which the sign is erected to a maximum of 20.0 square metres;

(d) The height shall not exceed:

[1] 3.5 metres when erected at a frontage less than or equal to 20 metres;

[2] 5.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 20 metres but less than or equal to 30 metres;

[3] 6.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 30 metres but less than or equal to 40 metres;

[4] 8.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 40 metres but less than or equal to 60 metres; or

[5] 10.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 60 metres;

(e) The sign shall have no more than two sign faces;

(f) The sign shall not be erected within 2.0 metres of any property line; and

(g) The sign shall not be erected within 6.0 metres of the intersection of two street lines.

(4) A wall sign displaying the logo or corporate symbol of a business located on the premises provided:

(a) The sign shall only be erected on an office building containing 10 or more storeys;

(b) There shall be no more than one sign erected on each wall of a building to a maximum of four signs;

(d) Each sign shall display identical sign copy;

(e) The sign face area shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the uppermost storey, mechanical penthouse or parapet wall on which the sign is erected to a maximum of 25.0 square metres; and

(f) The sign shall not extend beyond either end of the wall on which it is erected.

(5) A wall sign, other than a sign displaying a logo or corporate symbol permitted by Subsection C(4), provided:

(a) The sign shall not be erected above the second storey;

(b) Where erected at the first storey, the height shall not exceed the lesser of 4.5 metres or the sill of the lowest window at the second storey of the wall on which the sign is erected;

(c) The total sign face area of all wall signs erected at the first storey shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the first storey on which the signs are erected;

(d) The total sign face area of all wall signs erected at the second storey shall not exceed 10 percent of the area of the wall at the second storey on which the signs are erected;

(e) The sign shall not extend above the wall or parapet wall of a building; and

(f) The sign shall not extend beyond either end of the wall on which it is erected.

(6) A projecting sign provided:

(a) The sign shall not be erected above the second storey;

(b) The sign shall not project more than 1.0 m from the wall on which the sign is erected;

(d) Where the sign has two sign faces, the sign faces shall be back to back;

(e) Each sign face shall be perpendicular to the wall of the building on which the sign is erected;

(f) The sign face area shall not exceed 1.0 square metre; and

(g) The sign shall not be erected closer than 6.0 metres, measured horizontally from any point on the sign, from another projecting sign on the same premises.

§ 694-22. Third party sign general regulations.

A. Third party signs are permitted to display mechanical copy.

B. A sign owner of a third party sign shall securely affix and display an identifier in the form, manner, and location approved by the Chief Building Official.

C. A third party sign shall not be erected, displayed, modified, or restored on a listed heritage building or a designated heritage building unless otherwise expressly permitted by this chapter.

D. A third party sign shall not be erected within 100.0 metres of any other lawful third party sign whether or not erected.

E. Where an application is made for a sign permit to modify or restore a third party sign which no longer complies with Subsection D because a variance or by-law amendment was granted by the City permitting the erection of another third party sign, the sign permit shall be issued provided the sign complies in all other respects with this chapter.

§ 694-23 Energy Efficiency Requirements

A. Where this chapter permits a third party sign, the electricity required to operate the sign shall be provided by:

(1) On-site renewable energy production subject to compliance with the requirements of City By-law No. 218-2008; or

(2) A distributor recognized and licensed by the Ontario Energy Board and shall be governed by an agreement to purchase renewable energy.

§ 694-24 Site Specific Area Restrictions

A. A third party sign shall not be erected or displayed or caused to be erected or displayed in whole or in part within:

(1) 400 metres of any limit of the F.G. Gardiner Expressway from Highway 427 to the Humber River, transferred from the Province by Order in Council 534/97;

(2) 400 metres of any limit of the F.G. Gardiner Expressway from the Humber River to the easterly limit of Dufferin Street;

(3) 400 metres of any limit of the F.G. Gardiner Expressway from a point 250 metres west of Strachan Avenue to the easternmost limit of Booth Avenue;

(4) 400 metres of any limit of Bayview Avenue from the northerly limit of Front Street to the northerly limit of Moore Avenue;

(5) 400 metres of any limit of Eglinton Avenue East from the easterly limit of Brentcliffe Road to the westerly limit of Victoria Park Avenue;

(6) 400 metres of any limit of Lawrence Avenue East from the easterly limit of Don Mills Road to the westerly limit of Victoria Park Avenue;

(7) 400 metres of any limit of Mount Pleasant Road from the northerly limit of Bloor Street East to the southerly limit of St. Clair Avenue East;

(8) 100 metres of any limit of the W.R. Allen Expressway from the northerly limit of Wilson Heights Boulevard to the southerly limit of Eglinton Avenue West;

(9) 100 metres of any limit of Black Creek Drive from the northerly limit of Maple Leaf Drive to the southerly limit of Weston Road;

(10) 400 metres of any limit of Highway 27 from Highway 401 to Steeles Avenue, transferred from the Province by Order in Council 535/97;

(11) 400 metres of any limit of Highway 2A from Highway 401 to Old Highway 2 (Kingston Road) and Highway from Highway 401 to the City of Toronto and Durham boundary, transferred from the Province by Order in Council 647/97;

(12) 400 metres of any limit of the portion of Highway 427 referred to as “Eglinton Avenue,” from The East Mall to a point 0.5 kilometres east, and transferred from the Province by Order in Council 533/97;

(13) 400 metres of any limit of any portion of Highway 400 contained within the municipal boundaries of the City;

(14) 400 metres of any limit of any portion of Highway 401 contained within the municipal boundaries of the City;

(15) 400 metres of any limit of any portion of Highway 404 contained within the municipal boundaries of the City;

(16) 400 metres of any limit of any portion of Highway 409 contained within the municipal boundaries of the City;

(17) 400 metres of any limit of any portion of Highway 427 contained within the municipal boundaries of the City;

(18) 400 metres of any limit of the Don Valley Parkway;

(19) 400 metres of any limit of the Queen Elizabeth Way;

(20) 50.0 metres of any limit of Queen Street East, from westerly limit of Coxwell Avenue to the easterly limit of Victoria Park Avenue;

(21) 50.0 metres of any limit of Merton Street, from the easterly limit of Yonge Street to the easterly limit of Mount Pleasant Road;

(22) 50.0 metres of any limit of Ripley Avenue;

(23) 450.0 metres of the westerly limit of Yonge Street, from the southerly limit of Highway 401 to northerly limit of Drewry Avenue;

(24) 450.0 metres of the easterly limit of Yonge Street, from the southerly limit of Highway 401 to northerly limit of Cummer Avenue;

(25) 100.0 metres of any limit of Yonge Street, from the southerly limit of Birch Avenue to northerly limit of Merton Street;

(26) 100.0 metres of any limit of St. Clair Avenue, from the westerly limit of Bathurst Street to the easterly limit of Inglewood Drive;

(27) The area bounded by the northerly limit of King Street West, the westerly limit of Shaw Street extending through to the westerly limit of Pirandello Street extending through to Manitoba Drive, the southerly limit of Manitoba Drive eastwards through to Canada Boulevard, the westerly limited of Canada Boulevard extended southwards to the shoreline of Lake Ontario, the shoreline of Lake Ontario and the easterly limit of Brant Place extended southwards to the shoreline of Lake Ontario;

(28) The area bounded by the easterly limit of Bathurst Street, the northerly limit of Bloor Street West, the westerly limit of Palmerston Boulevard and the southerly limit of Lennox Street; and

(29) The area bounded by the westerly limit of Lansdowne Avenue, the northerly limit of Davenport Road, the easterly limit of Avenue Road and the southerly limit of Dupont Street.

§ 694-25 (A) District Specific Third Party Sign Regulations

A CR-Commercial Residential sign district may contain the following:

(1) A wall sign provided:

(a) The sign face area shall not exceed 20.0 square metres;

(b) The height shall not exceed 15.0 metres;

(d) The sign shall not be erected within 30.0 metres of the intersection of a major street with any other street;

(e) The sign shall not be erected within 30.0 metres of any premises located, in whole or in part, in an R, RA, or OS sign district;

(f) The sign shall not extend beyond either end of the wall on which it is erected;

(g) The sign shall have no more than one sign face; and

(h) The sign shall not extend above the wall or parapet wall of the building on which it is erected.

This summary is for convenience purposes only, please refer to Chapter 694 of the Municipal Code or By-law No. 196-2010 for detailed information