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THE CITY OF VAUGHAN
BY-LAW
ANTI-GRAFFITI
(Consolidated Version - Enacted as By-law 46-2009)
Last consolidated on April 4, 2025. City of Vaughan by- laws
are provided online for convenient public reference. By- laws
are consolidated on an ongoing basis, but recent
amendments may not be reflected in the latest consolidated
version. Check the Amendment History to get a complete
listing of all pertinent regulations. For further information
contact the Office of the Director and Chief Licensing Officer.
A By-law to prohibit graffiti on public and private property and to require public
and private property to be kept free of graffiti.
WHEREAS the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c.25, Section 9, provides that Sections 8
and 11 shall be interpreted broadly so as to confer broad authority on municipalities to
(a) enable municipalities to govern their affairs, as they consider appropriate and, (b)
enhance their ability to respond to municipal issues;
AND WHEREAS section 128 of the Municipal Act, provides that a local municipality
may prohibit and regulate with respect to public nuisances, including matters that, in the
opinion of Council are or could become or cause public nuisances;
AND WHEREAS the opinion of Council of the Corporation of the City of Vaughan is that
graffiti is a public nuisance;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of The Corporation of the City of Vaughan enacts as
follows.
Table of Contents
1.0 Authority and Short Title ......................................................................................... 2
2.0 Applicability and Scope .......................................................................................... 2
3.0 Definitions and Interpretation ................................................................................. 2
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4.0 Graffiti Prohibited .................................................................................................... 3
5.0 Notice to Comply ..................................................................................................... 3
6.0 Administrative Penalties ......................................................................................... 4
6.1 Fines .......................................................................................................................... 4
7.0 Failure to Comply; Removal by City; Costs ........................................................... 5
8.0 Severability .............................................................................................................. 5
8.1 Designated By-law ...................................................................................................... 5
9.0 Force and Effect ....................................................................................................... 5
1.0 Authority and Short Title
(1)
This By-law was approved by Item No. 6 of Report No. 5 of the Committee of the
Whole and passed by City Council on March 23, 2009. [Added by subsection
1(a) of By-law 163-2019 on November 19, 2019.]
(2)
The By-law shall be known and referenced as the "Anti-Graffiti By-law." [Added
by subsection 1(a) of By-law 163-2019 on November 19, 2019.]
2.0 Applicability and Scope
(1)
This By-law applies to all Property, including public lands, within the boundaries
of the City of Vaughan. [Added by subsection 1(b) of By-law 163-2019 on
November 19, 2019.]
(2)
This By-law does not apply to the Interior Space on a Property or to a thing
located entirely within the Interior Space on a Property. [Added by subsection
1(b) of By-law 163-2019 on November 19, 2019.]
3.0 Definitions and Interpretation
(1)
In this By-law, unless the context otherwise requires, words imparting the
singular number shall include the plural, and words imparting the masculine
gender shall include the feminine and further, the converse of the foregoing
also applies where the context requires. [Added by section 1.(b) of By-law
043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(2)
Wherever a word is used in this By-law with its first letter capitalized and the
whole word italicized, the term is being used as it is defined in 3.0(4) of this By-
law. Where any word appears in ordinary case, the commonly applied English
language meaning is intended. [Added by section 1.(b) of By-law 043-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
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(3)
Any reference to a statute, regulation, by-law or other legislation shall include
such statute, regulation, by-law or legislation as amended, re-enacted, replaced,
or superseded. [Added by section 1.(b) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25,
2025]
(4)
In this By-law:
"Administrative Penalties By-law" refers to the City Administrative Penalties
By-law 240-2024; [Added by section 1.(g) of By-law 043-2025 on February
25, 2025]
"City" means the Corporation of the City of Vaughan, in the Regional
Municipality of York;
"Graffiti" means one or more letters, symbols, figures, etchings, scratches,
inscriptions, stains howsoever made or otherwise affixed to a property that
disfigure or deface a property;
"Interior Space" includes an interior wall, ceiling, floor and any other
partition that defines the interior space;
"Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer" means a Person appointed as a
Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer, pursuant to section 15 of the Police
Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15 or section 55 of the Community Safety
and Policing Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1, to enforce the
provisions of this By-law; [Amended by section 1.(d) of By-law 043-2025
on February 25, 2025]
"Owner" includes:
(a) the person having the right, title, interest or equity in the land, or his or her
agent authorized in writing;
(b) the person for the time being managing or receiving the rent of the land or
premises in connection with which the word is used, whether on the
person's own account or as agent or trustee of any other person, or who
would receive the rent if the land and premises were let;
(c)
a lessee or occupant of the property who, under the terms of a lease, is
required to repair and maintain the property.
"Property" means a building or structure or part of a building or structure, and
includes the lands and premises appurtenant thereto and all mobile homes,
mobile buildings, mobile structures, outbuildings, fences and erections thereon
whether heretofore or hereafter erected, and includes vacant property;
"Public Lands" means lands owned by the City, and shall include but not be
limited to the boulevard, any highway, lane, alley, square, place, viaduct or
trestle, water way or bridge, park, woodland, greenbelt, storm water
management facility, open space, municipal gold course or cemetery, and all
parts thereof, including any surface, grassed area, boulevard, ditch, curb, gutter
and sidewalk, but does not include property owned by the Regional, Provincial,
Federal Government, a Crown Corporation, Hydro, Utility or Railway Company;
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[Added by section 1(c) of By-law 163-2019 on November 19, 2019.]
"Public Place" means a place to which the public has access, as of right or by
invitation, expressed or implied.
[Amended by section 1.(a) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
4.0 Graffiti Prohibited
(1)
No person shall place, or cause, or permit Graffiti to be placed on any Property
(2)
The Owner of a Property shall maintain the Property free of Graffiti.
(3)
The Owner of a wall, fence or other structure or thing, in a highway or other
Public Place not included in the definition of Property in Part 3.0, shall maintain
the wall, fence, or structure or thing free of Graffiti.
5.0 Notice to Comply
(1)
A Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer, or a police officer appointed by the
York Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, or Royal Canadian
Mounted Police who finds a contravention of this By-law may give written notice
to the Owner of the Property, structure or thing, as described in section 4.0,
requiring immediate compliance with this By-law and/or to do work to correct
the contravention of this By-law within the time period specified in the notice.
[Amended by section 1.(e) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(2)
The notice may be served personally on the person to whom it is directed or by
registered mail to the last known address of that person, in which case it shall be
deemed to have been given on the3rd day after it is mailed.
(3)
If there is evidence that the person in possession of the Property is not the
registered Property Owner, the notice shall be served on both the registered
Property Owner and the person in possession of the Property.
(4)
If the address of the Owner is unknown, or the City is unable to effect service on
the Owner or occupant under section 5.0(2), a placard stating the terms of the
notice and placed in a conspicuous place upon the land on or near the Property,
structure or thing shall be deemed to be sufficient notice to the Owner.
6.0 Administrative Penalties
(1)
Instead of laying a charge under the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990,
Chapter P.33 for a breach of any provisions of this By-law, a Municipal By-law
Enforcement Officer, or a police officer appointed by the York Regional Police
Service, Ontario Provincial Police, or Royal Canadian Mounted Police may issue
an administrative penalty to the person who has contravened this By-law.
[Amended by sections 1.(c), 1.(f) and 1.(i) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25,
2025]
(2)
If an administrative penalty is issued to a person under section 6.0(1), no charge
shall be laid against that same person for the same breach. [Amended by section
1.(i) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
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(3)
The amount of the administrative penalty for a first breach under this By-law is
$400. [Amended by section (1) of By-Law 203-2023 on September 26, 2023.]
[Amended by section 1.(i) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(4)
A person who is issued an administrative penalty shall be subject to the
procedures provided for in the Administrative Penalties By-law. [Amended by
sections 1.(c), 1.(i) and 1.(j) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(5)
An administrative penalty imposed on a person that becomes a debt to the City
under the Administrative Penalties By-law may be added to the municipal tax roll
and collected in the same manner as municipal taxes. [Amended by sections
1.(c), 1.(i) and 1.(j) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(6)
The amount of the administrative penalty for a second and any subsequent
breach under this By-law is $800. [Amended by section (2) of By-Law 203-
2023 on September 26, 2023.] [Amended by section 1.(i) of By-law 043-2025
on February 25, 2025]
6.1 Fines
(1)
Every person who is convicted of an offence under this By-law or fails to comply
with a notice to comply under this By-law is liable to a fine as provided for in the
Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chap. P.33.
(2)
Every director or officer of a corporation who knowingly concurs in the
contravention of a provision of this By-law or fails to comply with a notice to
comply made under this By-law is guilty of an offence.
(3)
A person who is convicted of an offence is liable on first conviction to a fine of not
less than $400 and not more than $20,000, and is liable on subsequent
convictions to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $50,000.
(4)
A corporation that is convicted of an offence is liable on first conviction to a fine of
not less than $400 and not more than $50,000, and is liable on subsequent
convictions to a fine of no less than $400 and not more than $100,000.
(5)
In addition to the fines in sections 6.1(3) and 6.1(4), a person convicted of a
subsequent offence is liable to a fine not more than $1,000 for each day or part
of the day on which the contravention has continued after the day on which the
person was first convicted. [Amended by section (1) of By-Law 182-2023 on
November 14, 2023.]
7.0 Failure to Comply; Removal by City; Costs
(1)
If an owner fails to comply with a notice given under Part 5.0 the City's
representatives may enter upon the lands at any reasonable time for the
purposes of doing the things described in the notice.
(2)
Costs incurred by the City in doing the work required to be done by the notice
may be recovered by action or adding the costs to the tax roll and collecting them
in the same manner as taxes.
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8.0 Severability
(1)
Where a court of competent jurisdiction declares any section of this By-law to be
invalid, or to be not in force, or without effect, it is the intention of Council in
enacting this By-law that the remainder of this By-law shall continue to be in force
and applied and enforced in accordance with its terms to the fullest extent
possible according to law. [Added by subsection 1(e) of By-law 163-2019 on
November 19, 2019.]
8.1 Designated By-law
(1)
This is a designated by-law as per Schedule 1 of the Administrative Penalties
By-law. [Amended by section 1.(k) of By-law 043-2025 on February 25, 2025]
9.0 Force and Effect
(1)
This By-law shall come into force and effect on the date enacted by Council.
Enacted by City of Vaughan Council this 23rd day of March, 2009.
Hon. Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor
Todd Coles, City Clerk
Authorized by Item No. 6 of Report No. 5
of the Committee of the Whole
Adopted by Vaughan City Council on
February 24, 2009.
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AMENDMENT HISTORY
ANTI-GRAFFITI BY-LAW
DATE
(YYYY/MM/DD)
BY-LAW
AUTHORITY
CONSOLIDATED
2019 / 11 / 19
163-2019
Item 11, Report 24, Committee of
the Whole
2023 / 11 / 14
182-2023
Item 6, Report 46, Committee of
the Whole
2023 / 12 / 12
203-2023
Item 11, Report 52, Committee of the
Whole
2025 / 02 / 25
043-2025
Item 13, Report 1, Committee of the
Whole