Skip to content

Negative 'poling' data for municipal officials in Sudbury

Signs reading 'Bigger taxe$ every year clean hou$e,' and 'developer$ run thi$ city,' posted in Sudbury's downtown this week called for the ouster of Mayor Brian Bigger and council members

In a series of jabs at Mayor Brian Bigger and city council as a whole, several signs were found taped to poles in downtown Sudbury earlier this week. 

“Bigger taxe$ every year clean hou$e,” read one of the signs, while other signs claim “developer$ run thi$ city,” and urged people to “Clean house, get rid of these council ‘bums.’”

One sign inaccurately claimed that Sudbury has the “highest taxes in Ontario.” Depending on the metric used to compare tax rates between municipalities, Greater Sudbury is either middling or high. The most commonly-accepted metric ranks Greater Sudbury as among the lowest in its classification and middle-of-the-road provincially.

It’s unclear who installed the signs, but a municipal spokesperson clarified that they are not considered election signs, which must promote a specific candidate for election.

However, they do fall under the city’s sign bylaw, which prohibits signs on poles except for those that advertise a “non-commercial event or activity, a non-profit event or activity.” Posters can also be approved by the Downtown Business Improvement Area. 

City bylaw officers were looking into their removal and in the event they figure out who installed them, they could face a sign removal fee of $144.

Bigger declined comment on the signs, but the three registered mayoral candidates in this year’s Oct. 24 municipal election denounced them. 

“I would be totally against that,” mayoral candidate Bob Johnston said. “Everyone has their vision, everyone has their facts, and we campaign and the media and stuff, we don’t go out and put stuff like that on public property.

“I find that degrading,” he added. “I don’t care who it is.”

Candidate Miranda Rocca-Circelli said that her goal is to head a “positive and progressive campaign,” and to keep things professional throughout.

“It’s important to be transparent and truthful in our communications, and that’s really our strategy,” she said. 

“This is disgusting,” candidate Evelyn Dutrisac said of the anti-council poster campaign. “You need respect in a fair and democratic campaign.”

Dutrisac also had her email compromised recently, which resulted in some people she knows receiving emails that were purportedly from her requesting financial support.

It’s unclear whether this action was politically motivated, but she cautioned others to keep a look out for identity theft and similar scams this election season. 

Both Bigger and former MP Paul Lefebvre have also announced their intention to seek the mayor’s seat but have yet to file their nomination paperwork.

Municipal election signs from registered candidates are not allowed to be erected until Aug 20, which is the day after the nomination period closes. 

Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com