Download our ‘City For Sale’ flyers here, print them, and spread them around your community.
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TPSI and Torontonians are speaking out against a package of unprecedented policies that will allow the city to sell off the names of our public spaces and services to corporations. The policies will also give staff virtually unlimited authority to bring advertising, such as signage and logos, into the public realm, including parks and children’s playgrounds. All without notifying or consulting you – the public.
The Toronto Public Space Initiative has reviewed these policies and is slamming them for their aggressive over-commercialization of public space, their lack of public consultation requirements, lack of transparency, lack of protection for people’s property values, and the wholesale sell out of our children despite public health concerns raised by local medical experts, among other major issues. In the view of TPSI these policies are the worst and most aggressive advertising policies we have seen in years. They are unprecedented. And they are being rammed down your throat quickly in the hopes you do not notice.
Policy Analysis Highlights Include:
-identification of loopholes that allow ‘honourific’ names to be sold to the highest corporate bidder
-a non-competetive bidding process that has already shortchanged the city
-a change to the street naming policy to take out restrictions on naming streets to facilitate advertising
-virtually unlimited authority delegated to staff to enter into massive advertising deals
-usage of the term ‘etc’ to broadly define the scope and type of advertising that can be brought in
-the inclusion of BIAs in a consultation process to the exclusion of all other stakeholders
-research and reports, such as a 2008 TTC report on the experience of other major transit systems with corporate naming
-letters from major corporations demanding secrecy surrounding the details of their purchases of naming rights in Toronto
TPSI is also slamming the spread of misinformation to Councillors, the public, and the media, which we witnessed at the November 1st Executive Committee meeting that passed these policies. Read more here.
City Council is set to pass these policies on November 29th. Act now before it is too late. It is time to stop the corporate takeover of public space that City Hall is enabling. It is time to put the Public back into Public Space. Email your local City Councillor now. You can find their contact information on this link or type in your address here to find your Councillor. Tell them what you think, in addition to asking them to do the following,
-To delay the passage of these policies until they can be re-examined thoroughly, and until the public can be consulted and informed
-To include meaningful ongoing public consultation processes in these policies
-To stop the over-commercialization of public space, the selling out of our children, and the risking of home values
Join us on November 29th at Nathan Philips square for a strategy/info session, short meditation protest, juice and cookies, as well as expert guest speakers. RSVP on facebook here or view our calendar of events.
Follow us on Twitter (TOpublicspace) and Facebook and sign up to our newsletter for opportunities to win prizes and to keep up to date on this issue and other important urban and public space issues.
Follow our calendar of events to keep informed of upcoming film screenings, panel discussions, and other events we will be holding on this matter. Contact us if you would like us to speak at your upcoming event, or to your class.
The city won’t consult with the public, so we will. We will be meeting with community stakeholders and experts throughout November to explain these policies to them and encourage them to get involved in the decision making process. Email us at [email protected] if you represent a community stakeholder or group and would like to be consulted.
TPSI will also inform the public this November by conducting an ‘Art Attack, by placing at least 10,000 posters throughout the city, and by handing out at least 20,000 flyers. To offer volunteer assistance email [email protected].
Most importantly, email this webpage to 5 friends today.
Background Information:
Click here to download the entire TPSI policy analysis, including positive recommendations and financial alternatives.
Click on these links to view pasts TPSI posts on this major public space issue.
To view the policies, “Sponsorships and Naming Rights: Partnership Policies to Promote and Recognize Contributions to the City”, click here.
