APRIL 3, 2012

TORONTO POLICE SERVICEGRAFFITI TRAINING SEMINAR

Graffiti Management Plan:Working Together

Background

Mayor Ford’s priority2007 new Coordinated Street Furniture reports

identified graffiti as one place to direct energy & funding

New plan is progressive and balances competing interests

The City currently spends over $1M a year removing graffiti

A new Municipal Code Chapter for Graffiti was approved in October 2011 and defines new parameters on graffiti art and graffiti vandalism

What is Toronto doing?

In July 2011, City Council adopted a new Graffiti Management Plan that includes a number of recommendations and 4 key action areas.Research and experience show that implementing only one part (i.e. enforcement) without the other parts that provide coordination, engagement and support will lead to failure in solving the graffiti vandalism situation.

1. Rigorous Enforcement against Tagging and Other Illegal Graffiti

Continuous Municipal Licensing and Standards enforcement against illegal graffiti

A revised graffiti by-lawRigorous standards on the removal of graffiti

from all City property and stringent expectations for all City agencies, boards, commissions and corporations.

A new partnership with the Toronto Police Service

2. Better Reporting Mechanisms & Support for Victims of Tagging & Other Illegal Graffiti

Enhanced reporting to 311, including a new reporting smartphone app

Advice and support to the publicEncourage Business Improvement

Areas and other businesses to fund and commit to long-term graffiti removal contracts

Ward-based graffiti strategies

3. Support and Recognition for Permitted Graffiti Art and Other Street Art

Legalization of graffiti art on buildings & structures with the owner’s permission

A new Graffiti PanelCreation of StreetARToronto Program

4. Creation of a Coordinating Graffiti Function

Act as the central coordinating body for all graffiti-related matters across the City.

Responsible for communications, benchmarking, achieving efficiencies and reporting on the status and success of all parts of the Plan.

Ensure a consistent, accessible and consolidated approach across City divisions and with ABCCs, business and the general public.

Our Challenge

Changes to the Graffiti By-Law

A new Graffiti by-law was enacted on January 1, 2012 which sets out important definition distinctions for graffiti: Graffiti Vandalism Graffiti Art

Graffiti Vandalism

Any deliberate markings made or affixed on property that is not currently exempted and: was made or affixed without permission of the

owner; is considered to be a tag; for which there are reasonable grounds to

believe that it may incite hatred or violence against any person or identifiable group; or

contains profane, vulgar or offensive language.

Tags

A stylized signature or logo that is intended to identify an individual or group or any other marking used for a like purpose or effect. Considered to be illegal graffiti vandalism.

Art Mural

A mural commissioned or approved prior to its creation by a property owner or occupant, where the primary purpose is to aesthetically enhance the surface it covers and the general surroundings.

Graffiti Art

Markings made or affixed to property that are approved by the property owner or occupant, where the markings aesthetically enhance the surface they cover and the general surroundings, having regard to the community character and standards.

Graffiti Vandalism

Graffiti style art that is made or affixed on a structure or thing without the permission of the owner. If the owner approves of the graffiti art, they may seek an exemption through the City.

Graffiti Panel

A property owner can engage the Graffiti Panel, comprised of City staff with experience in the arts, urban design, architecture and other relevant disciplines, if they have given permission for a piece of graffiti art on their property and they believe it should be exempted from the by-law.

The Graffiti Panel will use a set of criteria to determine if the art meets the character and standards of the community.

StreetARToronto

As a mechanism to support property owners interested in preventing vandalism, and in response to the enormous creative potential for artistic expression in Toronto, the City of Toronto has launched StreetARToronto (StART).

StreetARToronto

A public/private partnership program designed to increase opportunities for

neighborhood improvement emerging and established artists youth looking to develop and express their artistic

abilities StART will provide grants to not-for-profit community

organizations, with a focus on working with at-risk youth, to work with artists to install murals.

Toronto Police Services partnership to operate diversion programs for youth arrested for graffiti vandalism through the court system.

StART - Promotion and Advocacy

Enhanced web presence Inventory of mural and wall art throughout

the city Directory of mural and graffiti artists in the

cityCreating social media sites that can start a

serious dialogue on street art in TorontoListing of educational opportunities and

events related to street art and graffiti

StART – Diversion and Education Program

Funding up to $20,000 for initiatives that: Engage at-risk youth, or youth arrested for tagging or

illegal graffiti activities and diverted through the Court System

Provide consistent programming for a minimum of a 4-month time period

Include a combination of some or all of the following tasks & activities:

• Graffiti clean up and/or mural repair• Community engagement and development• Health and safety workshops related to street art• Other related skill development activities

Examples of Notable Local Work

Examples of Notable Local Work

Examples of Notable Local Work

Municipal Licensing & Standards Graffiti Management Team

Graffiti By-law Compliance Process

Municipal Standards Officer reactively (complaint-driven) or proactively investigates graffiti incidents

If item is determined to be graffiti vandalism, a Notice of Violation is issued

If item is determined to be graffiti art, Graffiti Panel process is engaged

Property owner is advised of compliance periodSecondary investigation occursIf in compliance, file is closed. If not in

compliance, process for remedial action begins

Graffiti Management Plan Team

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, PUBLIC REALM Dave Twaddle, Manager, Beautiful

Streets twaddle@toronto.ca/416-392-

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Jodi Callan, Project Lead, Graffiti Coordination jcallan@toronto.ca/416-338-2951

Lilie Zendel, Project Manager, StART Program lzendel@toronto.ca/416-392-

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MUNICIPAL LICENSING & STANDARDS

Lance Cumberbatch, Director, Investigation Services lcumber@toronto.ca/416-392-

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Gus Michaels, District Manager, Investigation Services gmichae@toronto.ca/416-392-

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Fernando Aceto, Coordinator, Investigation Services faceto@toronto.ca/416-397-

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