Election Signage:

Question: Can my Ontario landlord stop me from posting an election candidate sign on my rented unit?

Answer: Yes, in Ontario a tenant generally can display election advertising posters on the leased premises and a landlord cannot prohibit it, subject to reasonable limits on size or type and a ban on common areas under Canada Elections Act, S.C. 2000, c. 9, s. 322(1)-(2).  If you are being pressured to remove a sign from inside your unit, Woodcock Legal Services can help you understand your rights and respond appropriately with professional legal services across Ontario.   Call (613) 334-6721 for guidance on drafting a notice to your landlord or reviewing the landlord’s written conditions.

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Tenants Have a Right to Use a Sign to Promote an Election Candidate

In Canada, as a free and democratic society, all persons may choose to support a particular candidate in an election; and, with very few exceptions, post signage in promotion of a preferred candidate upon the premises that such persons occupy.  This right expressly includes persons occupying rented premises; and accordingly, a landlord is forbidden from restricting the posting of election signs by a tenant.

The Law

The Canada Elections Act, S.C. 2000, Chapter 9 prescribes the protection provided to a tenant who wishes to advertise or promote a favoured candidate.  Specifically, the Canada Elections Act states:

Conclusion

A landlord may restrict election posters or signs to a reasonable size.  Additionally, a tenant holds the right to place a poster or sign only within the rental unit; and accordingly, a landlord may forbid posters or signs from being placed upon areas beyond the rental unit occupied by the tenant.