The Graffiti Actions
What is the City doing about Graffiti?
Graffiti Bylaw
The City of Toronto Graffiti Bylaw (Municipal Code, Chapter 485) guides City staff in preventing and enforcing the removal of graffiti effectively and immediately. Graffiti is defined in the Graffiti Bylaw as:
| "One or more letters, symbols, figures, etching, scratches, inscriptions, stains, or other markings that disfigure or deface a structure or thing, howsoever made or otherwise affixed on the structure or thing, but, for greater certainty, does not include an art mural". |
| An art mural is defined as -- A mural for a designated surface and location that has been deliberately implemented for the purpose of beautifying the specific location. |
Coordinated Enforcement Plan
The Graffiti Management Plan is an aggressive, comprehensive plan to eliminate graffiti vandalism while supporting graffiti art and other street art. It coordinates the actions of municipal divisions, agencies, boards and commissions along with the community at large.
- City staff will remove graffiti on City-owned buildings, overpasses, bridges, and public parks. Staff try to quickly remove any hate or gang-related graffiti within a 24-hour period and all other graffiti within a 72-hour period to prevent more similar graffiti from appearing at a location
- Municipal Licensing and Standards staff enforce municipal codes and bylaws associated with the upkeep of property standards. They will respond to complaints of graffiti infractions and take appropriate action on these violations.
- The Toronto Police Service's Graffiti Eradication Program combats graffiti, reduces crime, fear and disorder and contributes to urban beautification. City bylaw officers will target graffiti-prone areas and where necessary, coordinate with Toronto Police Service to achieve successful enforcement. To report hate, gang-related, or graffiti vandalism, call the Toronto Police Service at 416-808-2222.
Graffiti is a community concern - Get Involved!
Everyone can do their part in keeping both public and private properties free of graffiti. Help the City of Toronto and its communities stay clean and beautiful. Eliminating graffiti from walls, fences and other structures are prime ways to maintain community cleanliness and beauty.
Negative Effects of Graffiti:
- Poses a risk to the health, safety and welfare of a community.
- Promotes a perception in the community that laws protecting public and private property can be disregarded with impunity.
- Fosters a sense of disrespect for private property that may result in increasing crime, community degradation and urban blight.
- Creates a nuisance that can adversely affect property values, business opportunities and the enjoyment of community life.
City staff work closely with property owners, community groups and local BIAs to coordinate community efforts that effectively deal with graffiti.
- Whenever possible, City staff encourage and support the formation of community-based groups, such as "adopt an area", and coordinating community-organized paint-outs and other graffiti abatement initiatives.
- Murals (graffiti art) are an effective means of deterring graffiti from appearing on structures. The Graffiti Transformation Program is an alternative for graffiti artists that promotes positive artistic expression, and the murals themselves provide a facade that tends to be left untouched by graffiti vandals.
Reporting graffiti vandalism
Keeping Toronto graffiti free is a top priority for the City of Toronto. All Toronto residents can help keep Toronto clean. If you see graffiti vandalism, please take the time to report it. Call 311 or report it online.
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