The City of Greater Sudbury is not talking about changes to GOVA Transit advertising.
Sudbury.com learned about the changes through tender documents which were included in a request for proposals for transit advertising services posted recently on the city’s website.
The restrictions on advertising included in the document appeared to veer from past practices, which allowed for the installation of an anti-abortion sign on GOVA Transit buses.
The anti-abortion sign, which featured the image of a full-term infant and the words, “Take my hand, not my life...” caused controversy in 2021, and resulted in the formation of the Sudbury Pro-Choice Coalition.
Provisions within the RFP are likely to prevent controversial advertisements such as the anti-abortion sign from being approved again in the future. Alongside a list of restrictions, the tender document notes the city can “reject any advertisement at any time.”
The RFP’s closing date is March 22.
Sudbury.com reached out to the City of Greater Sudbury’s communications staff regarding these changes to GOVA Transit advertising on Monday morning.
They did not respond by that day’s publication deadline, so a story about the GOVA Transit changes was published without their response on Tuesday morning.
After this story was published, a city spokesperson responded by email to say the city had declined our interview request, and were instead providing a written statement.
City spokespeople similarly declined an interview request when the anti-abortion sign controversy first came up in 2021, at which time they also provided a written statement.
The latest written statement did not address the following questions Sudbury.com sent the city:
- What prompted the change?
- What lessons, if any, were learned from the anti-abortion signs and public backlash?
- What other changes might Greater Sudburians expect when this RFP is awarded?
“The contract is worded with intent to protect the best interests of the community as it relates to images or messages that are posted on conventional buses, shelters or benches that could otherwise be offensive, against inclusivity or promote hate, violence or substance(s) use,” according to the city’s written statement, which largely echoes information from the tender document.
“This accountability for the community does not supersede protections afforded to all residents through (The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms).
“As a revenue-generating service level, through advertising on conventional buses, benches and bus shelters, the City of Greater Sudbury seeks a third-party service provider who will provide the best value through a high-quality advertising program that complies with the requirements of the posted Request for Proposal.”
The city’s written statement and the information contained in the tender documents are a departure from the city’s past approach to advertising.
In the midst of the 2021 controversy regarding the anti-abortion sign posted on a GOVA Transit bus, the city told Sudbury.com in a written statement at the time that advertisements were out of their control.
“Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the City cannot refuse or remove advertising, provided the ad content complies with the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards. Residents who have a concern with an advertisement have the right to contact Advertising Standards Canada with their complaint,” according to the city’s 2021 statement.
The city is now saying that they can reject advertisements for any reason, and that this “does not supersede protections afforded to all residents through the Charter.”
From the information we have, it’s unclear why the city expressed a belief in 2021 that they were not allowed to reject advertisements, and they aren’t speaking to us about it.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
