Sign Variance Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 4 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
SB18.1referred
Zelinka Priamo Ltd (the "Applicant") has made an application for three variances, each subject to three conditions, required to allow the Chief Building Official ("CBO") to issue a sign permit for one third party electronic ground sign with two sign faces, displaying electronic static copy (the "Proposed Sign") at 10 Morse Street (the "Subject Premises"). The Proposed Sign would be located along the southern frontage of the Subject Premises, perpendicular to, and viewed by traffic travelling eastbound and westbound along Lake Shore Boulevard East. The Proposed Sign would have a maximum height of 8.0 metres from grade and is proposed to contain two sign faces in a back-to-back configuration, each measuring 3.05 metres by 10.70 metres, with sign face area of 32.65 square metres. To allow the CBO to issue a sign permit, the Proposed Sign requires variances to sections 694-22D, 694-22E, 694-25C(2)(a), 694-25C(2)(f) and 694-25C(2)(h) of the Sign By-law, each variance would be subject to three conditions. The Proposed Sign, required variances, and conditions are further described in Attachment 1 to this report. After reviewing the Applicant's submissions and the additional information provided by City staff, the CBO has determined that there are not sufficient reasons to conclude that the eight required criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the four variances, each subject to three conditions, as described further in Attachment 1.
The Sign Variance Committee: 1. Adjourned this matter to the November 28, 2025 meeting of the Sign Variance Committee, on the condition that the Sign Variance Committee refer this matter to the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building for the purposes of reviewing a revised proposal from the Applicant in support of the Application for Five Variances, Each Subject to Three Conditions, Respecting One Third Party Electronic Ground Sign - 10 Morse Street for the purpose of preparing a supplementary report responding to, and transmitting to the Sign Variance Committee, a revised proposal of the Applicant; and to report back to the November 28, 2025 meeting of the Sign Variance Committee.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, recommends that: 1. The Sign Variance Committee refuse to grant the requested variances to sections 694-22D, 694-22E, 694-25C(2)(a), 694-25C(2)(f) and 694-25C(2)(h), each subject to three conditions, required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 1 to this report.
SB18.2adopted
At its June 13, 2025 meeting, the Sign Variance Committee (the "SVC") considered an application submitted by JOLT Charge Inc (the "Applicant") seeking one variance from the regulations of the Sign By-law, subject to three conditions, required to allow the issuance of a permit for the erection and display of one third party electronic ground sign (the "Original Proposed Sign") at the property municipally known as 3493 Kingston Road (the "Subject Premises"). For the purposes of allowing further submissions from the Applicant and preparing a supplementary report responding to, and transmitting to, the SVC these further submissions, the SVC referred the matter back to the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building (the "CBO"). Following the Committee's decision, the Applicant provided additional submissions which resulted in a similar but different second proposal (the "Alternative Proposed Sign"). This second proposal required a comprehensive assessment. This Supplementary Report, along with its associated attachments, supplements the original report submitted by the CBO which was considered at the June's hearing; and the recommendations in this report supersede in full the recommendations within that previous report. Based on the documentation provided, the Applicant has now submitted two distinct proposals for the placement of a third party electronic ground sign (the "Proposed Sign") on the Subject Premises. While both proposals contain signs similar in design and specifications, they differ in location. The Alternative Proposed Sign is to be situated approximately 45.0 metres west of the location identified for the Original Proposed Sign. For each proposal, the Applicant is seeking one variance, subject to three conditions. These conditions are comparable in nature but have been adjusted to reflect the respective locations. The Alternative Proposed Sign, like the Original Proposed Sign, would contain two rectangular sign faces displaying electronic static copy in a back-to-back configuration, oriented northeast and southwest, perpendicular to Kingston Road. Each sign face would measure 0.93 metres by 1.65 metres, resulting in a sign face area of 1.55 square metres, and a maximum height of 2.65 meters from grade. The portion of the Subject Premises where the both the Original Proposed Sign and the Alternative Proposed Sign (collectively the "Proposed Signs") are sought be placed is designated Commercial Residential ("CR") Sign District, which allows third party signs, however, does not expressly permit signs of the electronic ground sign type. A variance is required to permit the erection and display of a sign type that is not permitted in the CR Sign District. The Applicant's submissions indicate for each of the Proposed Signs, that they would be affixed to a structure that also features an electric vehicle charging station (the "EV charging station"). As Chapter 694 exclusively regulates signs, this report focuses solely on the components associated to the Proposed Signs. All aspects related to the EV charging station, including relevant laws and regulations, are excluded from the scope of this report. Following a review of the Applicant's submissions and additional research by staff, the CBO remains in the position that there is not a sufficient basis to conclude that the eight mandatory criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the one variance, subject to three conditions, sought for either the Original Proposed Sign or the Alternative Proposed Sign.
The Sign Variance Committee: 1. Refused to grant the requested variance to section 694-15.A, subject to three conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Original Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 1 to the report (August 28, 2025) from the Project Director, Business Transformation and Citywide Priorities, Toronto Building. 2. Refused to grant the requested variance to section 694-15.A, subject to three conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Alternative Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 2 to the report (August 28, 2025) from the Project Director, Business Transformation and Citywide Priorities, Toronto Building.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, recommends that: 1. The Sign Variance Committee refuse to grant the requested variance to section 694-15.A, subject to three conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Original Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 1 to this report. 2. The Sign Variance Committee refuse to grant the requested variance to section 694-15.A, subject to three conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Alternative Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 2 to this report.
SB18.3adopted
JOLT Charge Inc (the "Applicant") has submitted a sign variance application requesting two variances required to allow the Chief Building Official ("CBO") to issue a sign permit to erect and display a double-faced third party electronic ground sign, displaying electronic static copy (the "Proposed Sign"), on the property municipally known as 1150-1176 Morningside Avenue (the "Subject Premises"). The Proposed Sign would have a maximum height of 2.65 meters from grade. It would feature two rectangular sign faces in a back-to-back configuration, oriented north and south, perpendicular to Morningside Avenue. Each sign face would measure 0.93 meters by 1.65 meters, resulting in a sign face area of 1.54 square meters. Further details of the Proposed Sign are provided in Attachment 1. The Subject Premises is designated as Commercial Residential ("CR") Sign District, which allows signs belonging to the third party sign class however, does not expressly permit electronic ground signs. A variance is required to permit the erection and display of a sign type that is not permitted in the CR Sign District. A second variance is also being sought to allow the Proposed Sign to be placed within an area governed by a site-specific area restriction mandating that no third party sign shall be erected or displayed within 400 metres of the Highway 401. The Proposed Sign would be situated approximately 150 metres of the northern limit of Highway 401. Following a review of the Applicant's submissions and additional information provided by staff, the CBO has determined that there is a sufficient basis to conclude that the eight required criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the two variances, each subject to four conditions, as described further in Attachment 1 of this report.
The Sign Variance Committee: 1. Granted the requested variances to sections 694-15.A and 694-24.A(14), each subject to four conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 1 to the report (August 2, 2025) from the Project Director, Business Transformation and Citywide Priorities, Toronto Building.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, recommends that: 1. The Sign Variance Committee grant the requested variances to sections 694-15.A and 694-24.A(14), each subject to four conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Proposed Sign, as further described in Attachment 1 to this report.
SB18.4adopted
2026 Schedule of Meetings for the Sign Variance Committee
This report recommends the 2026 meeting schedule for the Sign Variance Committee. The proposed schedule is guided by City Council's approved schedule, and the availability of virtual meeting space.
The Sign Variance Committee: 1. Approved the following 2026 meeting dates: Friday, February 6, 2026; Friday, March 13, 2026; Friday, May 15, 2026; Friday, June 19, 2026; Friday, September 18, 2026; Friday, October 23, 2026; and Friday, November 27, 2026.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Deputy Secretary, Sign Variance Committee, recommends that: 1. The Sign Variance Committee approve the following 2026 meeting dates: Friday, February 6, 2026; Friday, March 13, 2026; Friday, May 15, 2026; Friday, June 19, 2026; Friday, September 18, 2026; Friday, October 23, 2026; and Friday, November 27, 2026.