March 5, 1999
To:Urban Environment and Development Committee
From:General Manager, Transportation Services
Subject:Advertising on Bell Canada Telephone Booths
Purpose:
To advise that Bell Canada does not wish to renew expired agreements and does not wish to
proceed further with the booth advertising program.
Financial Implications:
Subject to confirmation by the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, Bell Canada will remit
payment of $196.26 to the City to complete its obligations under the expired agreements.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that the interim agreements between Bell Canada and the former City of
Etobicoke and the former Borough of East York not be renewed and that the Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer confirm that all financial commitments of the agreements have been
completed.
Background:
Prior to amalgamation, the former municipalities of Etobicoke and East York signed
agreements with Bell Canada for telephone booth advertising. The proposed term was 10
years but in both cases the Financial Advisory Board only approved a one-year term to allow
any other municipal agreements to be merged with these two at that point (December 31,
1998). The former City of Toronto rejected advertising on Bell Canada booths. At its meeting
on February 9, 1998, City Council adopted Clause No. 5 of Report No. 1 of the Urban
Environment and Development Committee which recommended that further expansion of
Bell Canada Telephone booth advertising proposal for City arterial roads be deferred until the
end of 1998 to provide the opportunity to assess the reaction to the installations in Etobicoke
and East York in the context of advertising possibilities on the public road allowances.
Comments:
We are in receipt of correspondence from Bell Canada which indicates that Bell has
re-evaluated the trial project and has decided that they do not wish to proceed further at this
time. They have committed to immediately restore the booths that were retrofitted with the
advertising panels to their previous condition. They will also remit to the City a payment of
$196.26 which represents the City's share of the advertising revenue in accordance with the
former Etobicoke and East York agreements.
Conclusions:
Bell Canada is not interested in pursuing telephone booth advertising at this time. The Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer should confirm that all financial commitments of the expired
agreements have been completed.
Contact Name:
David C. Kaufman
General Manager, Transportation Services
Phone: (416) 392-8431
Fax: (416) 392-4426
David C. Kaufman
General Manager, Transportation Services
Barry H. Gutteridge
Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services
DCK/wlo
