Sign vandals target Niagara Falls candidates
Housser, Fischer say they’ve had dozens damaged or stolen outright
Nothing says election time like vandals damaging and stealing candidates’ signs.
But it’s no joke to Tim Housser, Peter Fischer or any of the other election hopefuls targeted in the hit-and-run style crime that usually happens after dark.
Fischer, running for Niagara Falls city council, figures he’s had a half-dozen large signs and 10 to 15 smaller ones pulled out or destroyed.
Housser, a Niagara Falls candidate for regional council, estimates 35 of his large signs and 50 small ones were stolen outright, costing him “probably close to two grand.”
“A whack of my signs went missing again (earlier this week) and I said alright, that’s enough,” said Housser. “It’s very frustrating.”
He said the problem started on the Sept. 15 weekend, when the Toronto Maple Leafs opened training camp at Gale Centre. Housser owns the Niagara Regional Street Hockey Centre nearby on Fourth Avenue, and has his election campaign headquarters there.
When Leafs fans started lining up as early as 6:30 a.m. for the 9 a.m. arena opening, Housser said he offered them free water and access to washrooms.
Another candidate accused him of illegal campaigning — an accusation Housser denies — and coincidence or not, his signs started disappearing soon after.
“They’re taking the stakes and taking the signs right out,” he said. “It’s not like they’re knocking them over, they’re physically picking them up and taking them.”
He said he spoke with Niagara Regional Police but hasn’t yet filed a report. He also asked local trash collection agencies to watch their bins for any of his signs.
Niagara Falls council is elected at-large, without wards, so candidates have placed signs in every corner of the city leading up to the Oct. 22 municipal election.
It’s a competitive race, with 33 candidates running for eight city council seats. Twelve people are running for the city’s three seats on regional council.
In one subdivision, Housser said, “I’ve basically asked people, if you’ve got a security camera, turn it toward the signs. We’ve got to catch these people.”
Const. Phil Gavin said Thursday the NRP has received only one report so far of election vandalism, which he said was attributed to a mischievous youth. It’s a common problem during campaign season, he said.
“Arguably some of these incidents are targeted at the candidate for their respective platforms and some are random behaviour,” Gavin said. “If candidates feel they are being targeted, we would encourage them to report
it to us.”
Fischer said he has lost as much as $400 to sign vandalism. The big ones cost more and it hurts to lose them, he said.
“I had one that was crumpled up like an accordion and they hid it in the woods a block away.”
He didn’t bother complaining to police, believing it would be impossible to track down the vandal.
“I don’t think it’s kids,” he said. “A kid is never going to take down a big sign like that and then make the effort of walking 50 yards and hiding it in the bush, or stashing it in a garbage can.”
Acting city clerk Bill Matson
said his office has received a few complaints of signs missing or damaged, but no more than usual.
When a city bylaw officer seizes a candidate’s sign — usually for placing it on private property without permission — it costs $50 to have it returned.
For a while, the seized signs were stored behind a gate near the old city hall on Queen Street — Fischer called it “sign jail.”
They’re now stored indoors at city hall.