MONTREAL - It's official: property owners afflicted by graffiti in the CDN-NDG borough are now required to remove the paint or be fined.
The controversial bylaw was passed at the CDN-NDG borough council meeting Monday and as a result, those who don't get to washing their walls of the unwanted art could face fines of up to $1,400.
Owners of residential units of six units or less are not subject to fines, nor are small businesses 600 metres or smaller.
Initially owners of any graffiti-infected buildings were to be subject to the fines regardless of the size of the property.
"We had no intention of making the little old lady living on Grand Blvd do it," said Union Party councillor for Loyola Susan Clarke, who spearheaded the initiative.
Some present at the meeting felt that the bylaw punishes the victim.
"If someone breaks your window or smashes your bricks you're not responsible, the people who have done it are responsible," said one.
The borough has attempted to divert illegal graffiti by sponsoring legal graffiti events.
