The 'Beautiful City Billboard Fee' is a unique initiative by local Toronto artists who have been lobbying City Council for a tax on advertising billboards and directing the revenue to fund public art. This segment has a brief overview of the BCBF, some clips of the council debate on Item PG33.10, and the voting day results, and more...

Recommended Website: ILLEGAL SIGNS tracking Toronto's Outdoor Advertising Industry

The Beautiful City Billboard Fee (BCBF) would see a charge paid by billboard advertisers through an annual license fee. Revenue would be dedicated to bylaw enforcement and art in the public sphere. A priority would be placed on funding marginalized communities and youth art and distributed through arms-length or peer jury processes. Specific objectives of the BCBF include:
- Urban beautification & employment for artists
- More funding for tracking & policing billboard advertisers
- Helping move Toronto towards a pedestrian focused aesthetic
- Promoting community ownership of public spaces
- Diversifying access to public communication

Thanks to all the supporters of the arts, don't give up now... City of Toronto has recently reported a $100 million surplus, where's the money going?

Look out for PART 2