Advertising Tax: What Marketers Need to Know

Montreal’s municipal election sees parties vying for votes with cultural and cleanliness initiatives.

As Montreal’s municipal election campaign gets underway, political parties are unveiling their platforms. Proposals include innovative funding models for local culture and strategies to address the issue of vacant commercial spaces.

One proposal involves implementing a royalty system on large advertising panels,as suggested by Luc Rabouin. The revenue generated, estimated at $5 million annually, would be reinvested in local cultural activities, prioritizing underserved neighborhoods. This could include enhancing libraries, cultural centers, and public art installations.

“Large advertising panels occupy our public space, but do not contribute enough to collective life. With the establishment of a royalty on these panels, we have a unique opportunity to transform a form of visual pollution into a lever for arts and culture,” said Luc Rabouin in a press release.

the concept draws inspiration from similar initiatives, such as one in Toronto that has been in place since 2010.

another proposal involves making permanent the abolition of property tax compensation for non-profit organizations, a measure initially introduced in 2025. This would result in annual savings of $2 million for participating organizations.

Prior to the campaign launch, other parties also presented cultural initiatives, including pilot programs for paid zones at outdoor events to ensure free access, increased funding for the Arts Council to reach $30 million by 2028, and the creation of a dedicated secretariat for culture.

Addressing Cleanliness Concerns

Soraya martinez Ferrada has pledged $2 million towards the upkeep of vacant storefronts, aiming to improve street cleanliness in Montreal.

“It harms the attractiveness of the streets, it also harms the spirit in which we live when we see premises that are placarded,” commented Soraya Martinez ferrada on Saturday, in front of an unoccupied room in Ontario Street, in hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

The allocated funds will be distributed to City Commercial Development (SDC) organizations based on district needs.

Plans include collaborations with districts and commercial development corporations to enhance empty storefront displays and support temporary art installations to camouflage vacant spaces.

Facilitating temporary occupancy of these spaces by easing administrative and zoning restrictions is also under consideration. Stricter regulations will require owners to maintain their commercial facades, with increased inspector presence to enforce compliance.

“My neighborhood is now famous through Quebec to be an open-air dumping ground,” said Alexandre Giasson, candidate in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and spokesperson for cleanliness and health.

“There are other cities that faced these issues,they attacked the problem and they solved it. You just have to light on the second floor and tackle it, “he added.

Downtown Montreal has seen office vacancy rates reach 18.9% in early 2025, attributed to the rise of remote work and the reduced space requirements of technology companies, according to a CBRE report.

With the Canadian press