The City of Ottawa’s efforts to reduce graffiti in the capital are paying off.
The most recent reports released on the city’s open database reveal that graffiti complaints are down dramatically from this same time last year.
More specifically, while 113 complaints occurred in January and February 2014, only 33 complaints have occurred so far this year.
Councillors and city officials are crediting this to the work of the Graffiti Management Program (GMP), which has been in effect since 2003 as a joint effort between the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Police Service. The program aims to educate individuals on ways in which to deal with graffiti-related incidents, including how to properly report and deter it.
The program also seeks to direct the public to legal graffiti walls, and to keep them aware of the punitive laws that surround illegal graffiti activity.
Barrhaven councillor Jan Harder says that the most successful element of the GMP program has been its efforts to have graffiti removed at a low cost.
“I no longer hear complaints. I used to hear complaints from innocent homeowners who were targeted and then stuck with having to clear the graffiti from their property,” she says. “Due diligence in having it removed in a cost-effective fashion made all the difference.”
The Barrhaven ward has only received one graffiti complaint this year.
Graffiti-related incidents in Orleans have also dropped dramatically in recent years. Councillor Bob Monette says, “Graffiti was a major issue when I first came to council in 2006. In fact, there was a proliferation of graffiti throughout the entire ward.”
“Since that time, we have seen a vast improvement in the battle on graffiti. I am proud to say that there seems to be less of an issue of graffiti in our ward.”
The Orleans ward has not received any complaints yet this year.
Monette credits this to the proactive approach of his team, which aims to report and remove graffiti quickly in order to discourage vandals from acting again.
“What I personally do along with my staff is drive through the entire ward, take photos of all the graffiti at all locations and report it directly to 3-1-1. This has been very successful,” he says.
Monette has also built on the GMP’s preventative methods by educating residents on the location of legal graffiti walls- one of which is the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex in Orleans. Monette believes that the key to reducing vandalism without stifling artists’ creativity is to direct residents to these sites.
“We have worked with the youth of our community, providing them with a legal graffiti wall, as well as using graffiti artists to create three murals in the Orleans community,” he says.
Rideau-Vanier councillor Mathieu Fleury says that it is important to create a feeling of trust within the community, where artists can feel comfortable coming forward and requesting legal graffiti sites.
“If a graffiti artist comes to me and shares a location that they’re interested in, we’ll work with them to make it permissible for them to do it,” he says.
Kanata-North councillor Marianne Wilkinson agrees, stating that graffiti problems will never go away but can be managed through legal sites.
Individuals who place graffiti in illegal areas can be fined up to $615.00 under the City of Ottawa’s bylaw; but graffiti is considered vandalism under Canada’s criminal code. If caught, individuals can be charged with “mischief under or over $5,000” and face community service hours as punishment.
Often, graffiti vandals who are charged are left with criminal records from their actions.
Graffiti Complaints: January to February 2014
Source: City of Ottawa Open Data Catalog
Graffiti Complaints: January to February 2015
Source: City of Ottawa Open Data Catalog