An NDG landlord fighting a ticket for not having removed graffiti from his building will have his day in court this fall.
Edward Kalil said he constantly removes the graffiti but that it doesn't keep the vandals away.
He got a $700 ticket plus $300 in court fees.
Kalil was in court this morning and given a trial date this September.
Kalil said win or lose, he's taking his case before city council to have the anti-graffiti bylaw repealed.
The law orders owners of large residential complexes or big commercial buildings to get rid of any graffiti or else get a fine.
"Don't just hold people responsible that have not perpetrated the infraction. It should be put on the people who carried it out," said Kalil in an interview with CJAD 800 News after this morning's brief court hearing.
Edward Kalil says the bylaw doesn't tackle the problem of graffiti and vandals. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/QfquTiGPPd
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) April 28, 2017
City councillor for Loyola district Jeremy Searle says the bylaw should be repealed. Will testify for Kalil in September. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/P5jV0SyiKe
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) April 28, 2017
City councillor Jeremy Searle will testify as a witness for Kalil. He said Kalil is a stand-up citizen who is always removing the graffiti from his building and doesn't need to be persecuted like this.
"We have this vicious, in my view, almost evil bylaw here whereby it's incredible in a democracy whereby some of my ex-colleagues have actually brought out a regulation which punishes the victim," said Searle, who showed up to support Kalil.
City councillor for Loyola district Jeremy Searle says it's an evil and vicious bylaw that punishes the victims. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/qYs608pFzF
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) April 28, 2017
Kalil also wants the city to do more to tackle the problem of graffiti, such as more police surveillance and youth programs to keep taggers productive and out of trouble.
"This is our city and to let the situation exist is a shame itself because it pulls down (property) values and it doesn't make the city look very good," said Kalil.