The City of Montreal says the owner of a home more than 100 years old broke municipal rules by allowing it to be painted neon colours to advertise for telecommunications company Koodo.
A Toronto-based advertising agency recently transformed the Victorian-style duplex into an oversized advertisement by painting it in the company’s chosen palette of hot pink, with accents of lime green, purple, teal and orange.
A sign posted on the facade reading “There is joy under this roof. Koodo internet” was no longer there by Thursday noon.
City spokesman Simon Charron argued that the publicity stunt was not authorized and violated municipal regulations.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
A sign posted on the facade reading “There is joy under this roof. Koodo internet” was no longer there by Thursday noon.
“It is important to note that planning regulations prohibit painting brick on the exterior facade of most buildings,” he said in a written message.
Changes to heritage buildings are also strictly regulated. In addition, rules govern the place of advertising in the urban landscape.
Simon Charron, spokesperson for the City of Montreal
Mr. Charron announced that the city would send inspectors to the site and issue a notice of violation to the owner.
A spokesperson for one of the companies behind the ad told The Canadian Press that the campaign was run by Toronto-based Camp Jefferson and was aimed at “creating a memorable and joyful experience for the community.”
“Before launching this activation, we sought and followed the advice and instructions provided to us by a representative of the City of Montreal,” wrote Isabelle Bonin of Plus Company, who collaborated on the campaign.
“As per our initial plan, we will return the house to its original condition on July 8 and continue to respect the rules and regulations of the City of Montreal,” she said.
The home is described in a real estate listing as a “three-story Victorian-style duplex.” A photo of the facade, likely taken before its conversion, shows it painted a pale green. The Realtor.ca listing lists its construction date as 1870, although the municipal assessment says it was built in 1910.
Heritage Montreal also has a problem with the transformation of the house.
“The problem is not the creativity of the colour choices themselves, but the way they are used to circumvent the City of Montreal’s advertising rules,” the organization wrote in an email.
Heritage Montreal said that applying certain paints to masonry can cause damage over time, and removing or repainting them can be costly and complicated. “Therefore, while creative colour choices can improve aesthetics, it is essential to balance creativity with code compliance and consider the long-term impact on building materials.”