On Sunday afternoon, Jordan Seiler led 15 activists into a war against Canadian billboard giant Pattison Outdoor by removing ads from 41 pillars and replacing them with 85 pieces of art.
“Public space should be a place for public communication,” said the 30-year-old. “I feel like I have a right to react against (advertisements) when, in particular, they’re done illegally.”
Seiler, a New Yorker is the founder of the Public Ad Campaign, an initiative committed to reclaiming public space. According to local activist and co-organizer Vanessa Moraless, the action was prompted by what the group argues is Pattison’s non-compliance with Toronto’s billboard laws. Last December, the city passed a billboard tax ranging from $850.68 to $24,000, which would contribute $10 million to city coffers. Billboard companies filed an action against the city with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to contest the law. Local activists are concerned that the city is still being too lax with the enforcement of bylaws.
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