Taylor drafts first bylaw for advertising, sponsorships and donations

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The District of Taylor is exploring creating a policy to manage future advertising, sponsorships and donation inquiries. 

According to a staff report submitted to council during the district’s January 19th committee of the whole meeting, the policy would provide a framework on how the district accepts, manages and recognizes advertising, sponsorships and donations. 

Mike Farquharson, the director of community services, explained the district has never had a formal policy on this topic, with practices related to advertising, sponsorships and donations currently being managed through “a combination of informal processes and department-specific guidelines.”

Farquharson explained the new policy would be guided by specific principles to ensure clarity for the district:

• Sponsorships, advertising and donations must support or enhance the district’s goals, values and community wellbeing.
• All arrangements will be conducted in an open, fair and equitable manner.
• The district will not accept sponsorship, advertising and donations from organizations whose products, services or reputations conflict with community standards or the district’s image. This includes tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, adult entertainment and discriminatory content. 
• Acceptance of sponsorship or advertising does not imply the district’s endorsement of a sponsor’s product, service or organization.

During the January meeting, a draft of the policy was presented to council for review, including a tentative pricing list for a variety of tiers and advertising options. 

Councillors made no recommendations for changes to the document, and staff will continue to work on the draft before bringing it back before council in a future council meeting to be approved, amending the Parks and Facilities Fees and Charges Bylaw.

As the report was presented during a committee of the whole meeting, and not a regular council meeting, no decisions were made by council, and no bylaws were introduced or approved. 

To read the full report and draft policy, see below.