Liberals introduce bill to limit placement, number of election signs on P.E.I.

The Liberals are looking to change the way political candidates can advertise their campaign by putting restrictions on the volume and placement of election signs.

A bill, titled the Election Signage Act, was introduced and debated Wednesday. It was brought forward by Liberal MLA Hal Perry, who said the point is to "address growing concerns around both the environmental impact and public safety issues with our historical use of election signage."

The bill would limit the number of signs a candidate is allowed to use, and put restrictions on where the signs are allowed to go. 

A candidate during an election would be allowed to put up a maximum of 50 standard (lawn-sized) election signs, and five non-standard (larger, roadside signs). Also, a candidate's campaign headquarters can only use a total of two election signs. 

Further, signs would not be allowed in these places:

Perry took questions from all three parties. Green MLA Karla Bernard asked the Liberals during committee Wednesday about how the number of election signs could be enforced.

Director of legislative affairs for the third party, Colton Profitt, said the signage would be enforced through a complaint-and-investigation process.

"There's not going to be any policing of the number of signs, per se, but the enforcement would be around a complaint-based system," Profitt said. "If a complaint is made and they are able to substantiate that complaint ... it would then be investigated."

Perry added, saying "it's up to each individual candidate to have a little bit of integrity to police their own, and each district to police their own."

The act says violations will lead to a fine between $500 and $2,000.